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COPyRIGUr DEPOSIK 



BOOK I 



MAN'S INCARNATION 



MAN'S INCARNATION 

KEY TO LIFE ETERNAL 



BOOK I 

MAN'S ELEMENTS. ATTRIBUTES. AND RELIGION; THE BOOK. OR 
CANONICAL. AND THE BOOKLESS. OR ILLITERATE. RE- 
LIGIONS; SUMMARIES OF THE BOOKS OF THE ENG- 
LISH BIBLE; THE STORY OF THE OLD TESTA- 
MENT PART. AND THE PROPHETICALLY 
DECLARED SINS OF THE PEOPLE 
REPRESENTED IN THE OLD 
TESTAMENT PART OF 
THE ENGLISH 
BIBLE - 



BY 

FRANK B. McKENNAN, LL.B. 



PUBLISHED BY 

THE McKENNAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 
BLOOMINGTON. ILLINOIS 

1908 






C<?.' 



UBBARYofCONKSRESS 


Tv/c Go Dies Recerved 

JAN 21 1909 


- Copyrig-nt Entry _ 
BUSS c:^ XXc. No. 

XT. 0,^2, 2. 

COPY 3. 



Copyright 190^ 

By FRANK B. McKENNAN, LL.B. 

Bloomington, Illinois 



PREFACE 

In presenting this work, we are not unmindful of the 
great depth, extent, and importance of our subject, and 
that some of the best students and brightest intellectual 
minds of the ages have devotedly studied and extensively 
written of the humanity and divinity of man; but we 
have been encouraged to study independently, and are 
emboldened to write, by the prayerful statement of the 
greatest of teachers, to the effect, that the things we have 
been studying and are writing about have been hid from 
the wise and revealed unto babes. And we know that, 
in view of the great number and unbounded extent of the 
writings of a similiar nature extant, our effort will not 
be appreciated unless we have something new, interesting, 
and instructive to offer to thinking men and women. 

Notwithstanding all that has been spoken and written, 
we come with a new message full of thot and spiritual food 
to gladden the bewildered hearts of humanity, removing 
the mystery that has surrounded carnate man in his rela- 
tions to infinity and the rest of the creative world, simpli- 
fying and showing the application of the strange and mys- 
terious history and teaching of the English Bible, and har- 
monizing the religions and religious teaching and religious 
practice of mankind in all parts and in all ages of the 
world. 

The thots and conclusions presented in these writings 
have been gathered from the known physical, mentaL 

[y] 



moral, and spiritual composition of man, and the civil and 
religious experiences, revelations, interpretations, and 
reasonings of and to mankind, as preserved and presented 
in the emblems and the sacred and secular writings of the 
past and present ages, together with our own intuitive and 
acquired knowledge of things, and our own experiences 
and observations in, and of, life. 

In our careful study of the English Bible and a limited 
study of the other sacred and secular records and writ- 
ings, as translated by qualified students and scholars, we 
have found that, treated liberally, what upon the surface 
appears to be vulgar and incongruous is, in the main in 
spirit at least, homogenous, and that the religions and 
religious teachings and practices of the world interweave 
into a consistent, harmonious whole, working out a divine 
plan for man. 

Rightly understood and interpreted, in its narratives, 
of the creations, including man and woman ; of the gar- 
den of Eden, with its provisions for the sustenance of 
life; of the disobedience of man, and the wickedness of 
the world ; of the flood, and the Ark for the righteous ; 
of a peculiar people; of Egypt and Pharaoh; of the 
bondage of Israel in Egypt, and a Moses and an Aaron ; 
of the passage of the Red sea, and the destruction of 
Pharaoh and his hosts; of the wilderness and the won- 
derings of Israel therein; of the passage of the Jordan, 
and the conquested settlement of the promised land ; 
and of the internal and external, pubHc and private, 
tribe and national, civil and religious life of the Israelitish 
people, with their relations to and intercourse with the 
nations by whom they were surrounded and with whom 
they cam.e in contact ; 

[ vi ] 



In its prophecies of the coming of a Messiah, a New 
Dispensation, in "the Christ," and a universal Church of 
Jews and Gentiles; 

In its narratives, of the coming, nativity, and ministry 
of Jesus, and his disciples and apostles; of the origin, 
conquests, and amplitude of the Church in the New Dis- 
pensation; and of the Revelations, the EngHsh Bible 
teaches, both symbolically and literally, the source, consti- 
tution, and purpose of man, with his relations to Divinity, 
and the rest of the created world, distinguishing man's 
life and intelligence from the rest of the creatures, and 
pointing out the way of and to Life Eternal. 

We have found, that the subject matter of the English 
Bible covers three distinct dispensations of man in the 
world; that the first ended in the destruction of the 
created world by a flood, with Noah, the righteous man, 
as a connecting link reaching into the second; that the 
second ended in the rejection of Israel, with Jesus, the 
perfect Man, as the connecting link, reaching into the 
third and present; 

That the first dispensation was creating and developing 
ing, the second law giving and ceremonial, and the third 
and present is the Christian, or Christ bearing and devel- 
oping ; 

And that the biblical story, of these three dispensa- 
tions, portrays the physical, intellectual, moral, and spirit- 
ual elements of man ; illustrates man's physical and intel- 
lectual endowments, and his moral and spiritual attributes ; 
and demonstrates the working relations of the human and 
divine sides of man's life in the developments of a spirit- 
ual personality and its birth out of the body, as illustrated 
in the birth, life, ministry, and death of Jesus, and the 

[ vii ] 



birth of his spiritual personaHty out of his physical body. 

We have learned that man is the incarnation of a di- 
vine element, emanating from God, with physical functions 
suited to serve its purpose in the environments of the 
world without personal contact or exposure; that the 
purpose of thus incarnating divine elements, as repre- 
sented in intellectual and soulful man, was and is that, 
thru the human and spiritual agencies combined in man, 
a spiritual personality may be developed and born out of 
the body, called second birth, for the Eternal Kingdom 
of God; 

That the material world, in all its creations, emana- 
tions, agencies, and environments, serves nature in the 
production, maintenance, and reproduction of human 
temples and vehicles for the indwelling, and the develop- 
ment of divine elements to personalities — sons of God ; 
that the human personality is the son of nature, and the 
spiritual personality is the son of God; that nature is 
exhausted in the production, maintenance, and repro- 
duction of the physical man, and that personal infinity 
commences with the production of the spiritual person- 
ality. 

Our object in this work is to reproduce here, in con- 
venient form for reference, the evidences w^e have found 
sustaining these our conclusions in relation to the relig- 
ions and religious teachings in the different parts and the 
different ages of the world, including the English Bible, 
and proving our theory of the humanity and divinity of 
man, and the purpose of the created world and carnate 
man in the Eternal Plan of God. 

We know that the religious sea, upon which we have 
launched and set sail, in its borders is full of islands of 

[ viii ] 



belief and faith, some above the surface, and many more 
submerged with irregular ragged outlines, obstructing the 
passage and besetting the way of would be mariners. 
And if it be that we have passed these religious shoals 
and can signal and guide some belated souls out into the 
deep blue sea of God, to enjoy the peace of mind and 
fortitude belonging to the children of God, we shall feel 
that our effort has not been in vain. 

The extent of the necessary subject matter for this 
work, as taken from the English Bible and elsewhere 
and in an abridged form reproduced, with the necessary 
definitions, explanations, applications, and comments, 
would make a very large, expensive and inconvenient 
volume of more than a thousand pages ; therefore, we 
have divided and will publish it in four small convenient 
volumes of about two hundred and fifty pages each. 

In this division of the subject matter, we have been 
careful to have each volume complete and valuable in 
itself without regard to what may follow or precede it. 

The first volume treats of Ivlan's elements, attrib- 
utes, and religion, and the book and bookless religions, 
giving a summary of each book of the English Bible, and 
the story of the Old Testament, with the prophetically 
declared sins of the people represented. 

The second volume gives the prophetic judgment 
against the people, and the prophecies concerning the 
coming of a Messiah, a New Dispensation, and a Univer- 
sal Church, as contained in the Old Testament; and the 
story of the New Testament, concerning Jesus, his minis- 
try, his disciples and apostles, and the Church; and the 
Revelations. 

The third volume is a sort of Glossary, explaining 

[ ix ] 



the meaning and application of the names, words, and 
phrases used in the bibhcal writings, as they apply to the 
world and man, the here and the hereafter. 

And the fourth volume treats of our subject directly, 
covering the first three volumes. 

Author. 



[x] 



Part i— 
Part ii- 
Part III- 



( 



( 9 
(10 

(11 
(12 

(13 
(14 
(15 
(16 
(17 
(18 
(19 
(20 
(21 
(22 



INDEX TO CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Man's Elements and Religion 1 

-The Book or Canonical Religions 15 

-A Summary of the Books of the Old Tes- 
tament 23 

Genesis 24 

Exodus 25 

Leviticus 26 

Numbers 26 

Deuteronomy 26 

Joshua 27 

Judges 27 

Ruth 27 

I and II Samuel 28 

I and II Kings 28 

I and II Chronicles 28 

Ezra 29 

Nehemiah 30 

Esther 31 

Job 31 

Psalms 32 

Proverbs 33 

Ecclesiastes 33 

Solomon's Song 34 

Isaiah 34 

Jeremiah 36 

Lamentations 37 

[xi] 



(23 
(24; 
(25 

(26; 
(27; 
(28; 
(29; 

(30^ 
(31 
(32 
(33 
(34; 
(35 
(36; 
Part iv- 



( 1 

( 2; 
( 3; 
( 4- 

( s; 
( 6- 

( 7: 

( 8; 

( 9] 

(lo; 

(ii; 
(12; 
(13: 
(14: 
(is: 



PAGE 

Ezekiel 38 

Daniel 40 

Hosea 41 

Joel 42 

Amos 42 

Obediah 43 

Jonah 43 

Micah 43 

Nahum 44 

Habakkuk 44 

Zephaniah 45 

Haggai 45 

Zachariah 46 

Malachi 47 

-A Summary of the books of the New Tes- 
tament 49 

Matthew 49 

Mark 50 

Luke 51 

John 52 

The Acts 53 

Romans 54 

First Corinthians 55 

Second Corinthians 56 

Galatians 56 

Ephesians 56 

Philippians 57 

Colossians 57 

I Thessalonians 58 

II Thessalonians 58 

I Timothy 58 

[xii] 



(16 
(17 
(18 
(19 
(20 

(2i: 

(22 
(23 
(24 
(25 
(26 
(27 
Part v- 
( 
( 
( 
( 
( 
( 
( 

( 8 
( 9 
(10 



Part vi — 



PAGE 

II Timothy 59 

Titus 59 

Philemon 59 

Hebrews 60 

James 61 

I Peter 61 

II Peter 61 

I John 62 

II John 62 

III John 63 

Jude 64 

Revelations 64 

The Story of the Old Testament Scriptures 69 

Adam to Noah 74 

Noah to the call of Abram 76 

Abram and Abraham to Isaac 82 

Isaac to Jacob 93 

Jacob to the call of Moses 98 

Moses to Joshua 118 

Joshua to the Judges 153 

Judges to the First King, Saul 164 

King Saul to Israel's Assyrian Captivity. . 180 
From Israel's Assyrian Captivity to the 
end 230 

The Prophetically Declared Sins 241 

Hosea 241 

Isaiah 244 

Micah 248 

Jeremiah 249 

Ezekiel 262 

Malachi 264 

[ xiii ] 



PARTI 



MAN'S ELEMENTS AND RELIGION 

Man is distinguished physically, mentally, morally, 
and spiritually from all other creatures of the world. It 
is said that man was created or made in the image of the 
Creator; that he is next lower than the angels; and that, 
of created things, he is the nearest the Infinite. In the 
historical order of the creation, man is placed last, as the 
finishing product and the capital of the world pyramid. 
In body he is the highest in quality ; in composition, he is 
the most complex and complete; in environment, his is 
the most extensive; in physical capacity and mental en- 
dowment, he is without a comparison; and in reasoning 
power and spiritual attributes, he stands absolutely alone 
in the world. 

Most creatures have in common, at least to a certain 
degree, intelligence, activity, passivity, and combativity; 
but man is the only creature that thinks, reasons, invents, 
meditates, reflects, philosophizes, and believes. These 
exclusive faculties peculiar to man alone must have been 
given to him for some higher and more noble purpose 
than merely to control and rule the rest of the world. 

Man had need of his special sense, activity, passivity, 
environments, and intelligence, for the perception, con- 
trol, and development of the outer physical world and its 

[1] 



utilization in the care, protection, and nourishment of his 
physical body; but there must have been a higher and 
more noble purpose in endowing him with the special sense 
and intelligence, and the exclusive powers for thinking, 
reflecting, reasoning, meditating, inventing, philosophizing, 
and believing. He is the only creature that possesses 
a dual nature of humane and divine elements — a carnal, 
or worldly, side and a soulful, or spiritual, side. 

It is man alone that looks beyond the finite and per- 
ceives an Infinite ; that yearns for something which neither 
sense or reason can or will supply; that feels a strange 
impulse from within calling for something that does not 
come and go — for something which is and remains for- 
ever; that feels a dependence — ^the need of one upon 
whom he can lean and rest, and with whom he can feel 
at home in this strange world of incarnation. 

It is thru man's special intellectual faculties and ex- 
clusive spiritual powers that he perceives an Infinite, rea- 
sons about God and a future life, and believes — nay, 
knows — ^there is a God and a future life. 

It is thru man's special intellectual faculties and exclu- 
sive spiritual powers, when harmoniously developed and 
attuned, that the rays of divine light shines and enables 
him to look upon things spiritual; that enables him to 
look inward upon himself and upward to something not 
himself, and see and understand something of the 
mystery called life, and the divine purpose in this strange 
and mysterious incarnation. 

It is in these special and exculsive endowments that 
we find that corrective element which makes man's life 
the most humane, comprehensive, and perfect; that ele- 
inent which makes a life not for this world only but for a 

[2] 



transfigured and eternal existence ; that element which 
has made this life rational and a religion possible, that 
element which is the deepest spring and the foundation of 
all rational individual life; and that element which, con- 
necting man with God, firmly fixes the specific and 
permanent barrier between man and beast which never 
has been and never will be crossed from beneath. 

During this life, the highest state possible is attained 
by purifying and refining the human vehicle for the 
largest posible indwelling and beneficent influence of the 
divine elements of our dual nature; but we permit the 
sensual pleasures derived from the world's environments 
to possess and dull our otherwise transcendent intellect 
to such an extent that, tho both seeing and hearing, we 
perceive not, neither do we understand the impulses 
emanating from our divine nature ; and, being consciously 
lost to our divinity and its beneficent influences, we live 
on, seemingly satisfied with our worldly existence not ex- 
empt from the envy, spite, and hate which humanity 
shares in the flesh with the beast. 

It is true, this life has always been more or less a 
struggle and in late years in some respects a fighting life. 
The social, intellectual, and commercial contentions for 
supremacy in finance and commerce — the acquisition of 
wealth, empiric knowledge, social and political powers, 
and the fame of the world have developed man's temporal 
mental powers, and physical activities, together with the 
instinct of self-preservation, to such an extent that the 
other side of this life, which is the more important, has 
been neglected and in a large measure lost sight of, and 
has been allowed to He dormant, buried beneath the 
avalanche of this world's cares. 

[3] 



While man continues in this relative state of human 
development, he will continue to work for the wealth, 
power, and fame of this world until he can work no longer, 
and point with sensual pride and pleasure to what he and 
his ancestry have done or accomplished by warfare, valor, 
and hard work in founding a home, a family, a city, state 
or nation, and in the accumulation of wealth, and die 
without having preceived or understood the purpose of his 
life on earth — the divine object of his incarnation. 

Knowing that this life is only for a time and will soon 
pass away ; that the company here with those we love will 
not last long as we must sooner or later in body at least 
return to the earth from whence it is said we originally 
came; that when we go from this life we must go alone 
and, as we can take nothing material with us, our family 
and loved ones, our wealth and earthly store, and all 
pass away or must be left; man dies without having 
realized that this world and this carnate life is but the 
preparatory department of the divine economy wherein 
it was intended, by the proper use of his special faculties 
and exclusive mental and spiritual powers, man should 
develope his soul — his spark or embryo of divine Life 
separated from God and incarnate — into a personality 
capable of individual existence independent of its carnate 
body, to live on, after the disintegration of its carnate 
body, as a personality in and for the Eternal Kingdom of 
God. 

Manly vigor, silent endurance, public spirit, and pri- 
vate enterprise are important factors in the human side 
of the destiny man has to fulfil on earth; but he should 
not forget that there is as surely another side to this life — 
another purpose and destiny open to him in his journey 

[4] 



across this span or this Hnk of life — another side to 
his nature to be harmoniously developed during this life : 
not the active, combative, and acquisitive alone; but 
the passive, meditative, reflective, and philosophical as 
well, that the rays of divine Light may shine from his soul 
within which will reveal the Infinite, and dispel from the 
mind the darkest clouds of intellectual night. 

]\Ian has set apart but one day out of seven for 
meditation and the consideration of those greater things 
which pertain to God and a future life, and the many pass 
that day in mere church-going-routine, in ministering to 
the passions or sensual pleasures, or in thotless rest. 
But, no matter what may be his sensual pleasures, bodily 
comforts, material wealth, mental powers, or social and 
political fame, if intelligent man has his quiet, thotful 
moments, rare tho they be, when the old simple questions 
of htimanity returns to him in all their intensity and he is 
troubled from within with the ever recurring conscious- 
ness of a hereafter, and there is sent up from the depths 
of his inner being imperious questionings pertaining to 
God and the future Hfe. At these times of thot and medi- 
tation, man wants to know more certainly than he knows, 
what he is and why this mysterious life; what this life 
on earth is meant for and where it is he will go when this 
life ends; and what will be his state or condition here- 
after. 

In his most natural state here, man believes he has a 
future which in some way depends upon the life in the 
flesh, but he does not know certainly how to prepare for 
it. He searches the history of the world, the writings of 
the prophets and diviners of old, and the teachings of 
priests, rabbis, preachers, theologians, and philosophers of 

[5] 



all ages for the desired information; but he finds that 
every day new prophets arise and beseech him for his 
soul's sake to give ear to him for the way of Life; that 
every day new authorities announce themselves, and new 
theories are advanced; that the doctrines of yesterday 
are challenged by the fresh philosophies of today, and he 
knows the creeds of today will fall before the criticisms of 
tomorrow. He finds that his increase of knowledge from 
these alleged truths combine in his mind and make dark- 
ness ; and he rejects these theories one by one, and returns 
the great books to their shelves. The years pass, and the 
great problem of "The Way of Life" remains unsolved. 

In his searches for the way of Life, the individual 
finds that he is not alone in his solicitations for a knowl- 
edge of present and future conditions; that some of the 
best intellectual talent and noble genius of this and other 
ages have been devoted to a search for and the study of 
the evidences in the solution of these momentous ques- 
tions ; and that great minds have searched for and, so far 
as discovered, studied and written the civil and religious 
history of the world from the earliest known and con- 
jectured beginnings down thru all the ages. He finds 
that some of these students and writers, most richly en- 
dowed with the choicest intellectual wealth and wisdom 
in their thought and work, have brought forth and devel- 
oped some of the rarest gifts of the human mind and in- 
tellect ; that they have pondered deeply into nature's prob- 
lems and found solution of many of them ; but, laboring 
in and with the material world, they have sought to 
materialize what they have learned of the spiritual; 
and unwilling to accept anything not apparent to the 



[6] 



physical senses and supported by human reason, they have 
rejected what was invisible to the physical eye. 

The knowledge of well ascertained, well classified, and 
well labeled facts has assumed very great proportions in 
this day and age, and imparts great intellectual power to 
those who can wield and use it. Our age is proud of this 
sort of knowledge, and the many are inclined to accept 
and believe it to be the only reliable kind of real knowl- 
edge, discrediting all claims to other sources of real knowl- 
edge of present and future conditions. 

To these historical students and writers, this age is 
indebted for all the information it has of the civil and 
religious history of man and the world in the past ages. 
They have studied and written of the intellectual world 
and its historical development from the supposed first 
appearance of predicative and demonstrative roots with 
their combinations and differentiations leading up to the 
supposed beginnings of rational thought, and its supposed 
development from the lowest to the highest stages. They 
have studied and written of the material world— the form- 
ation and growth of the earth, the creations, formation 
and emanations in and upon the earth with their devel- 
opment and growth — from the supposed first appearance 
of living cells with their combinations and differentiations 
leading up to the supposed beginnings of organic life, 
and its supposed steady progress from the lowest to the 
highest stages. 

These students and writers have searched out, studied, 
and interpreted for us many of the sacred emblems, and 
the civil and religious records and writings of the world 
in the past ages; thus, interpreting and preserving for 
this and all future ages much of the ancient historical 

[7] 



and traditional religions, with the accredited revelations 
from God to man thru the seers, priests and prophets, 
from the earliest known beginnings down thru all the 
ages. 

From these writings thus preserved to us, we learn 
that, in the earliest of the history extant, mankind was 
divided primarily, according to his country, language or 
religion, into three great families or nations which were 
known and styled, the Aryan, the Semitic, and the Tur- 
anian or Ural-Altaic; that religion as a divine influence 
among men underlaid and supported every relation of 
life and social institution, and a supernatural presidency 
was supposed to consecrate and keep together all the 
cardinal institutions of those early times such as the 
family, the tribe, the state, and the nation; that in those 
early ages religion, in its outward appearance as something 
outspoken, tangible, and definite which could be described 
and communicated to others when distinguished from 
religion as a silent power working in the heart of man, 
lay within a very small compass; that what constituted 
the outward framework of the religion of antiquity was 
a few words recognized as names of the Deity, a few 
epithets that had been raised from their material mean- 
ing to a higher and a more spiritual stage, a few words 
which, originally expressing bodily strength, brightness, or 
purity, came gradually to mean greatness, goodness and 
holiness, and some more or less technical terms expres- 
sive of such ideas as sacrifice, altar, prayer and possibly 
virtue and sin, body and spirit. The hearth was the first 
altar, the father the first elder, and the wife and children 
and slaves the first congregation. In those early ages, 



[8] 



religion was dependent upon the more or less inadequate 
resources of language for its outward expression. 

In the history of the world, wherever there has been 
found traces of human life there has been found traces 
of a religion, evidencing the fact that in all known ages 
of the world, no matter what the color of the skin, the ex- 
tent of intellectual development, nor how far removed 
from the centers of human intellectual development and 
religious influences, man has been inherently capable of 
transcending the finite and perceiving an Infinite — a higher 
creative and controlling power — and believe in a future 
life the attainment of which in some way depended 
upon the character of the life in the flesh. 

At no time in the past ages, as at the present time, has 
the human family been one in religious faith and practice, 
but every nation or people has had its own peculiar relig- 
ion and in many instances the same people have had in 
different ages a different religion. Some of these relig- 
ions have been founded upon or evidenced by a book, 
but many more have had no such voucher to offer in 
support of their peculiar religious faith and practice. 

Anciently, as at the present time, the book religions 
were looked upon and considered more authentic, trust- 
worthy, and by those adhering to them as the only divinely 
revealed religious teaching, and their followers formed 
a kind of religious aristocracy among the crowd of book- 
less or illiterate religionists, as at the present time. But 
the book religionists including those possessing even a 
sacred canon were comparatively few, and comparatively 
small has been the aristocracy of real book religions. 

In the great drama which we call the religious his- 
tory of the world, the Aryan and Semitic families of 

[9] 



mankind have been the principal actors, and but two mem- 
bers of each of these famiHes can claim the possession of 
a sacred code. Among the Aryan nations, only the 
Hindus and the Persians; and among the Semitic fam- 
ilies, only the Hebrews and Arabs have- religious codes. 
The Hindus gave rise to Brahmanism and Buddhism, and 
the Hebrews gave rise to Mosaism and Christianity. Zoro- 
astrianism had its source in the same stratum which 
fed the deeper and broader streams of Vedic religion, 
and Mohammedanism springs, so far as its most vital 
doctrines are concerned, from the ancient fountain-head 
of the religion of Abraham or that of Mosaism, Moham- 
medanism is later than the Christian and Zoroastrianism 
is earlier than Buddhism. 

Buddhism was an offspring of and a reaction against 
the Brahmanism of India, where after a time it withered 
away on the soil from which it sprang and, being trans- 
planted from India to the Turanian nations in the center 
of the Asiatic continent, it took root and assumed its real 
importance. It thus appears, that Buddhism, an Aryan 
religion by birth, became the principal religion of the 
Turanian world. 

Christianity, springing from Mosaism where it failed 
to fulfil its purpose as a reform of the ancient Jewish 
religion, being rejected by the Jews, did not develop its 
real nature until it had been transplanted from the Semitic 
to the Aryan soil — from the Jews to the Gentiles — 
where it assumed its world-wide importance. It appears 
thus that Christianity, at its birth a Semitic religion, 
became the principal religion of the Aryan world. 

China is the only other nation that can claim a book 
religion as its own. China became almost at the same 

[10] 



time the mother of two reUgions founded on sacred codes, 
— the reHgion of Confucius and that of Lao-tse. 

With these eight rehgions, the library of the sacred 
books of the whole human family is complete, leaving the 
largest portion of mankind, including some of the most 
valiant champions in the religious and intellectual strug- 
gles of the world, without representation in this theolog- 
ical library. 

Of those without canonical books, we have among the 
larger families or branches of the Aryans, the Greeks and 
Romans ; among the Teutonics, the Celtics, and Slavonics, 
and among the Semitics, the Babylonian, Phenicean, and 
Cathoginian families. 

The two beds in which the streams of Aryan and 
Semitic thought have been rolling for centuries cover but 
a narrow tract of country compared with the vastness 
of our globe as we have seen, yet, we have the evidences 
that there has not been a nation or people without a 
religion — a knowledge of a supervising power — a God, 
and a future Life. 

We learn, that along the shores of the ancient Nile 
are to be seen pyramids still standing, ruins of temples, 
and labyrinth, the walls of which are covered with 
hieroglyphic inscriptions of gods and goddesses; that if 
we follow the sacred streams to their distant sources we 
will find the whole continent of Africa full of interest- 
ing evidences of religion, vague hopes of a future life, and 
not altogether faded reminiscence of a Supreme God; 
that everywhere, upon the islands that rise in the oceans 
of the earth, whether among the dark Papuan, the yellow- 
ish Malay, the brown Polynesian races scattered on these 
islands, and even among the lowest of the low in the scale 

[11] 



of humanity, there are if we will but listen, whisperings 
about divine beings and imaginings of a future life; that 
there are prayers and sacrifices which even in their most 
degraded and degrading form bear witness to that old 
and ineradicable faith, that everywhere there is a God 
to hear our prayers if we will but call upon him and to 
accept our offerings if they are offered as a token of a 
greater heart. 

Upon the double continent of America, the first dis- 
coverers found, in the central and southern continents, 
an ancient and as it would seem an independent faith, 
and, among the red-skinned inhabitants — ^the red Indians 
of the northern continent — home-grown specimens of 
religious faith. 

In the Asiatic continent, altho nearly the whole of 
it is now occupied by one of the eight book-religions — 
Mosaism, Christianity, Mohammedanism, Brahmanism, 
Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, the religion of Confucius, or 
that of Lao-tse — partly below the surface and in some 
places still on the surface more primitive forms of wor- 
ship have maintained themselves, such as the Shumanism 
of the Mongolian race and the Mythology of the Finish 
and Ethonian tribes; and as we delve into the religious 
history and tradition of the past ages our horizon expands 
on every side and we find that wherever there are traces 
of human life there are traces of religion. 

From the history of the world and the experiences and 
observations of man, it is apparent that at times the 
human intellect naturally becomes sufficiently transcend- 
ent to understand that there is a higher ruling and 
controlling power, and a life beyond the grave ; that when 
relieved from the controlling influence of the human side 

[12] 



of this life and attuned to the divine, the intellect of 
man becomes sufficiently transcendent to look within upon 
the spiritual, and see and understand something of things 
supernatural; and that under proper conditions the in- 
tellect of man sustains the same relation to the divine 
side of this life that it does to the humane side, trans- 
mitting impressions from both the human and the divine 
sides of this life to the consciousness of man; for every 
age and most if not every people has had its own pecu- 
liar religion, and its individuals called seers and prophets 
who at times and under certain conditions intellectually 
transcended the finite, perceived the Infinite, and divined 
current and future events which they published as their 
visions and prophesies, and which they or others have 
written in books and which forms the larger part of what 
is called religious history of the world. 



[13] 



PART II 



THE BOOK OR CANONICAL 
RELIGIONS 

In part one, we learned that there never has been a- 
people or nation without a religion; that in the world's 
history wherever there has been found traces of human 
life there has been found traces of a religion; that at no 
time in the known history of the world has the religion 
of the people been one, but each people or nation has 
had its own peculiar religious faith and practice ; that the 
religion of the world has been of two general kinds — book 
or canonical and bookless or illiterate; that of the book 
or canonical there were eight — Mosaism, Christianity, 
Mohammedanism, Brahmanism, Zoroastrianism, Budd- 
hism, the religion of Confucius, and that of Lao-tse in 
China, while those of the bookless or illiterate were many 
more scattered thruout the world ; and that most if not all 
of these religions were claimed, if not by their founders, 
then by their disciples, to have been the result of divine 
Revelation. 

In the religious literature of the world, we find, be- 
sides the eight canonical books or bibles referred to, 
numerous religious writings, religious philosophies, and 
philosophies of religion ; and that there is religious litera- 
ture and books sacred and commentary, written about 

[IS] 



these religions and philosophies, without number and en- 
tirely beyond the comprehension of man. 

When the historians speak of the Jewish, the Christ- 
ian, the Hindus, the Brahman, the Buddha, the Confucius, 
or the Lao-tse religion, they have reference to a body or 
bodies of religious history and doctrine handed down in 
canonical books or bibles constituting the faith and prac- 
tice of the communicants and disciples of the religion 
bearing such name ; and, when they speak of the bookless 
or illiterate religions, they have reference to the bodies,, 
more or less complete and definite, of religious history 
and doctrine handed down by tradition constituting the 
faith and practice of the uncertain bodies of religionists 
scattered over the world who have not canonized their 
religion. Some of these traditional religions such as the 
"Vedic Hymns'^ have been searched out and reduced to 
writing by eminent intellectual scholars, giving us the ad- 
vantage of having them preserved to us in book form. 

In the Brahman religion, we have the sacred writings 
of the Brahmans, the Hymns of the Rig-veda which are 
the real bible of the ancient faith of the Vedic Bishis, 
which contain ten thousand five hundred eighty verses, 
and a commentary of one hundred thousand lines of 
thirty-two syllables each; also three minor Vedas and 
numerous essays, manuals, glosses, etc., forming an un- 
interrupted chain of theological literature extending over 
more than three thousand years. Among this same 
people, we have numerous controversial writings of dif- 
ferent schools of thought and faith all claiming to be 
orthodox but differing from each other as day and night, 
and compositions, at variance with the opinions of the 
majority and professedly unorthodox, written by declared 

[16] 



enemies of the Brahmanic faith and priesthood whose 
accusations, insinuations, argument, and poisoned arrows 
of invictive need no comparison with the weapons of the- 
ological warfare in any other country. 

The religion of Buddha, which was originally but one 
of many sects, possessed a vitality which has made its 
branches to overshadow the largest part of the inhabited 
globe and produce a canon the text and commentary of 
which contains twenty-nine million three hundred sixty- 
eight thousand letters. This may be better understood by 
comparison with the English Bible which contains about 
three million five hundred thousand letters, or about one- 
ninth part of the volume of the text and commentary of 
the Buddha canon. The Tibetan edition of the Buddha 
canon consisting of two collections is said to contain about 
three hundred twenty-five volumes folio, and that each 
volume weighs from four to five pounds. 

In the Mohammedan religion, the books are said to be 
so numerous that but few if any could master them in 
an ordinary lifetime. 

The religion of Confucius in China is founded upon the 
five kings and four Shu books. These nine books of 
themselves are said to be of considerable extent, and these 
are surrounded by numerous voluminous commentaries. 

Lao-tse is said to have written no less than nine hun- 
dred twenty books on different questions of faith, morals, 
and worship, and seventy on Magic. 

There is a third religion in China, that of Fo, which 
is simply a Chinese corruption of Buddha, but is said to 
have produced an enormous literature of its own. 

Besides the Zoroastrian religion which has an exten- 
sive religious canon and books sacred and commentary 

[17] 



without number, there are the Jewish and Christian relig- 
ions, which must of necessity be considered together, 
with the English Bible containing about three million five 
hundred thousand letters which cover about one thou- 
sand ordinary book pages of closely printed matter, and 
about five hundred pages of commentary; and books and 
publications devoted to its interpretation, explanation, 
application, and teaching without number, covering a 
period of about three thousand years. The Jewish and 
Christian religious literature combined, probably exceed 
all others in the world's history. 

The sin-sick soul of man, seeking relief from its 
human bondage, asks the recognized religious authorities 
of his time for the way of Life and he is told, that the day 
of divine vision, revelation, and prophesy is past; that it 
was only in the ancient days and times that God appeared 
to His divinely selected and inspired seers, priests, and 
prophets, and later to Jesus the Christ and His divinely 
selected and inspired apostles and thru them revealed 
Himself and his divine plans to guide man to and in the 
"Way of Life ;" that all those visions, revelations, prophe- 
cies, and teachings were, under divine direction and 
supervision, written in books and preserved to instruct and 
guide man to and in the "Way of Life;" and that the 
instruction and teaching thus preserved to guide man 
to and in the way of Life is so plain and simple that "the 
way-faring-man, tho a fool, need not err therein." 

If it be true, that this age is dependent upon the visions 
and revelations recorded in the sacred books and writings 
of the ancient religious world for a knowledge of God and 
the way of Life, then, it is important that we know and 
understand these records and writings if we would cer- 

[18] 



tainly go in the way of and gain the Hfe beyond the 
grave. 

From the general summary of the ancient religious 
records and writings here given, some idea may be formed 
of what a theological library would have to be to contain 
the books necessary for the study of the doctrines and 
teachings of even the eight sacred codes, and the improba- 
bility, if not the impossibility, of any individual or set 
of individuals being able to accomplish such a study in an 
ordinary lifetime. If these codes were all written in one 
language and their simple reading was sufficient for the 
solution of the question this might be accomplished by 
some of the intellectual giants of this age. But in order 
to be able to even read them the individual must know 
the languages in which they are written, and to be able 
to correctly read, understand, and interpret them he must 
be a master of the many languages in which they were 
originally written, an accomplishment not yet attained 
by any individual so far as known. 

But we are told by the Christian theologian, that it is 
only the English, the Jewish, and Christian Bible that 
contains the divinely revealed Truths — the Word of God ; 
that it was only to divinely selected and inspired seers, 
priests, and prophets of the Hebrew division of the 
Semitic family of mankind in the early ages and later 
to Jesus and his divinely selected and inspired apostles 
that God appeared and thru whom He revealed Himself 
and His divine plans for the enlightenment of man and 
his guidance to and in the "Way of Life," and thru 
whom He had these appearances, visions, revelations, and 
teachings written and preserved in this book for the use 
and guidance of those and all future generations; that it 

[19] 



is the only infallible teacher and guide in the prepara- 
tion for the life beyond the grave; and that all other so- 
called bibles and sacred books are the work and inspira- 
tion of mere man in his finite wisdom, and are without 
divine authority. 

It is worthy of note, that each of the book or canoni- 
cal religions proceed upon the theory that man was made 
by or emanated direct from God; that originally he 
occupied a high and holy position in his relation to the 
Deity; that he afterwards lost his high position and 
descended to one from which a redemption was required 
to restore his relations to the Deity and prevent the ulti- 
mate loss of both his soul and body; and, pointing out 
a redeemer already provided for acceptance or a divine 
scheme whereby such redemption may be accomplished 
by the individual, assume a completeness and self-suffi- 
ciency and exclude the probability or even the possibility 
of there being any other way of saving the soul from 
the ultimate destruction to which it is doomed under 
natural worldly conditions. 

While it is possible for the enlightened and edu- 
cated individual to read and in a measure at least to inter- 
pret and understand the Jewish and Christian Bible in 
his own language, there are comparatively few in this 
age who are sufficiently conversant with the languages in 
which this Bible was originally written to correctly read, 
interpret, and understand it in its original manuscript. 
We are, therefore, of necessity dependent upon the inter- 
pretations and translations of this Bible, from its original 
foreign languages to that of our own by human intel- 
lectual agencies, for our knowledge of what the original 
manuscript contained and taught. There are numerous 

[ 20 ] 



translations of the Jewish and Christian Bible from its 
original languages to that of most, if not all, others ; and 
we have the advantage of having different approved and 
revised translations to the English language; but we are 
constantly confronted with endless controversies rela- 
tive to the correct interpretation and translation of cer- 
tain words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs or periods 
of the original manuscripts. 

The Jewish and Christian Bible, as we have it trans- 
lated into the English language, is divided into two general 
parts called the Old and the New Testament Scriptures. 
The Old Testament part of this Bible begins by assuming 
the existence of this planet which it calls "The Earth," 
and some general statements as to its original and later 
physical condition and divisions with the manner of the 
creations and emanations in and upon the Earth includ- 
ing man. After some general history of man and the 
world in the earliest stages, this Old part of the Jewi'sh 
and Christian Bible is devoted almost exclusively to the 
civil and religious history and the civil and religious 
visions, prophecies, and teachings of the Hebrew or 
Jewish branch of the Semitic family of mankind which 
was one of the three great general divisions into which 
mankind was found to be divided at the time of the 
earliest history we have of mankind other than what is 
found here. 

The New Testament part of this Jewish and Christian 
Bible is devoted to the nativity and history of Jesus and 
his acts, sayings, doings, and teachings while on earth 
resulting in the development of a Gentile church and a 
Christian^ religion, the apostles and disciples of Jesus and 
their acts, sayings, doings, teachings, and writings, and the 

[21] 



progress of the Gentile church and Christian religion in 
the extension of the Christian salvation to all mankind. 

As a Christian people, taught to believe that we are 
dependent upon the Jewish and Christian Bible for our 
knowledge of God and the way of Life, no one can, in 
justice to himself and those loved ones by whom he is 
surrounded, be indifferent to or careless in the systematic 
study and interpretation of the records and teachings of 
that Bible. And no matter what may have been his 
teaching or the present state of his belief, no one can 
afford to carelessly or indifferently entertain a peace 
of mind relative to his relations to God and the future 
Life while this life lasts which must at best soon end if 
he is concerned about the status of his soul in the here- 
after. 



[22] 



PART III 



A SUMMARY OF THE BOOKS OF THE 
OLD TESTAMENT 

The Jewish and Christian Bible is commonly called 
the English Bible and hereafter we shall refer to it as the 
English Bible. The word Bible, meaning Books, is not 
very unlike our term Library. The English Bible is the 
Library of the Jewish and Christian religions, the collec- 
tion of Books in which the ancient history, vision, proph- 
ecy, and teaching of those religions are recorded and the 
literature thereof preserved. It has two parts, the Old 
and the New Testament parts, which are entirely uncon- 
nected so far as human design is concerned. 

The Old or Covenant part has three general parts, the 
Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, referred to in the 
New Testament writings as "the Scriptures." The Law 
part, called the "Pentateuch," consists of the books of 
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, 
which are commonly believed to have been written by 
Moses. The second part, or that of the Prophets, con- 
sists of the Books of Joshua, Judges, the first and second 
Samuels, the first and second Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, 
Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets. And the Psalms 
part consists of all the other books, beginning with that 
of Psalms from which it takes its name. 

[23] 



The collection of writings contained in the Old Testa- 
ment part of the English Bible is thought to extend over 
a period of not less than one thousand years. 

Genesis 

The word Genesis is Greek and means Generation. 
This book is divided into fifty chapters. In the first 
eleven chapters, the writer, without undertaking to ac- 
count for its prior existence, gives some meager account, 
as to the physical condition, of what he calls "the Earth'* 
at the time of what he calls *Tn the Beginning" with some 
of its later physical changes; also of the formation of a 
firmament which is called heaven, and the creation of 
lights, the Sun, Moon, and Stars which are set in that 
firmament. Here, he also gives some meager account of 
the manner of the creation and emanation of things in 
and upon the earth including man, and some general his- 
tory of the world and man leading up to and connecting 
with the call of Abram whose name was changed to 
Abraham as the beginning of a people called Hebrews. 

Beginning with the twelfth chapter, the remainder of 
this book is devoted to the history of this Hebrew people 
represented in Abram whose name was changed to Abra- 
ham, Isaac, and Jacob whose name was changed to Israel 
and their families, recording the Promises and Covenants 
represented to have been made by God to and with this 
people and their seed forever thru Abram and Abraham, 
Isaac, Jacob and Israel, and the history of these men and 
this particular people down to the time of the death 
of Joseph the son of Jacob in the land of Egypt which 
practically dates the beginning of the bonage of the de- 
scendents of Jacob, who were called "The Children of 
Israel," in the land of Egypt. 

- [24] 



Exodus 

Exodus is a Greek word and means Departure. This 
book is divided into forty chapters and may be considered 
in two general parts, that of History and that of Law 
giving. 

The writer relates the manner of the birth, nurture, 
and education of Moses, his call and preparation and that 
of Aaron his brother to bring about the deliverance of the 
children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, as it is said, 
to make sacrifices to their God, and narrates the special 
efforts made and miracles performed by Moses and Aaron 
before Pharaoh, called the plagues of Egypt, to induce 
him to let the children of Israel go. 

He narrates the manner of the departure and guid- 
ance of the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; 
the pursuit of the children of Israel by Pharaoh and his 
army, and their overthrow in the waters of the Red sea ; 
the wonderings of the children of Israel in the wilderness, 
their murmurings, and the miraculous provision of quail, 
manna, and water ; the war with Amalek, and the Lord's 
oath to have war with Amalek from generation to genera- 
tion ; and the various camps of the Israelites while in the 
wilderness. 

An appearance of the Lord on Mount Sinai in the sight 
of all this people and the delivery to Moses of the Lord's 
Commandments, Laws, and Judgments for the guidance 
of all this people, with the two tables of the Testimony is 
related. It is here written that, during the absence of 
Moses in the Mount, the people had Aaron make for 
them an idolatrious god in the form of a Molton Calf, 
which they were worshipping when Moses returned with 
the Commandments, Laws, and Judgments of the Lord 

[25] 



and the two tables of the Testimony; and that Moses, 
becoming excited, allowed the two tables to fall from his 
hands, breaking them at the foot of the Mount, caused 
to be slain about three thousand Israelitish men, and de~ 
stroyed the first tabernacle. The writer narrates the man- 
ner of the destruction of the first tabernacle and its 
renewal, and the manner of the destruction of the two 
tables of the Testimony and their renewal. 

Leviticus 

This book contains twenty-seven chapters and relates 
to the camp life of this people, to Aaron and his sons, to 
the Tabernacle of the congregation, and to the like, re- 
cording the laws about sacrifice and purity, the laws 
designed to separate Israel from the other nations, the 
laws about holy days and festivities, the laws about 
vows, and the direction for the consecration of Aaron 
and his sons to the priesthood. The book is legal 
with but few exceptions and the writer declares that 
these are the commandments which the Lord com- 
manded Moses in Mount Sinai for the children of Israel. 

Numbers 

This book narrates the two numberings of the children 
of Israel in the wilderness, the years of penal wonder- 
ings in the wilderness, the preparation and breaking 
camp at Sinai, the march on Canaan, and the repulse by 
the Canaanites. 

Deuteronomy 

The name of this book designates it as the Second 
Law. It is the last of the Pentateuch and records three 
different discourses by Moses to the children of Israel, 

[26] 



certain of the final words and acts of Moses, his song 
and blessing, his preparation of Joshua to lead Israel, and 
his death and burial. The object of this writing seems 
to have been to supplement the previous Law. Some 
laws are new and some, apparently no longer appropriate, 
are abrogated. And the author denounces any one who 
adds to or takes from his Law. 

Joshua 

The writer of this book narrates the history of the 
Israelites from the time of the death of Moses to the time 
of the death of Joshua which embraces the conquest and 
settlement in Canaan. The object seems to have been to 
show the faithfulness of God in His promises to Israel. 
The first part of the book is historical and the latter part 
is mainly geographical. 

Judges 

In the book of Judges, the writer carries on the his- 
tory of the children of Israel from the death of Joshua 
with a general survey of earlier events. The chronology 
of these writings are so difficult that the biblical students 
and critics have been unable to determine with any degree 
of certainty the extent of the period the history of the 
book of Judges covers but it has been estimated at from 
one hundred fifty to four hundred ten years. 

Ruth 

This book relates some of the history of a Moabitish 
woman named Ruth. On account of a famine in Judah, 
Elimelech, an Israelite of Bethlehem- Judah took his wife 
Naomi and his two sons and went into the country of 
Moab to sojourn. While in Moab, the two sons married 

[27] 



Moabite women, the wife of the son named Chilion having 
the name of Ruth. EHmelech and his two sons died 
while in the land of Moab and Naomi returned to Betble- 
hem-Judah, bringing Ruth with her. Ruth, afterwards, 
was married to a man by the name of Boaz and became 
the mother of Obed the father of Jesse the father of King 
David. This book was one of the five "Rolls" one of 
which the Jews read at each of their five great feasts, 
reading this one at the feast of Pentecost. 

First and Second Samuel 

In the first and second books of Samuel, the records 
here made pertain principally to the history of the reigns 
of King Saul and King David. In these writings we 
find the phrases, "The Christ" and "The Son of David," 
as used in the New Testament writings. 

First and Second Kings 

The records contained in the first and second books of 
Kings continues the history of the children of Israel from 
the closing years of the reign of King David down to the 
end of the monarchy and the carrying away into Baby- 
lonian captivity, covering a period of about four hundred 
years and ending about five hundred sixty years before 
the time of Jesus. 

First and Second Chronicles 

The books of the Chronicles, like those of Samuel and 
the Kings, were one book in the Hebrew down to the time 
of Jerome. These writings have borne the names of 
"The Acts of the Days and Times" and "The Things 
Omitted." 

[28] 



They recapitulate some of the history recorded in the 
books of Samuel and the Kings, and give genealogies of 
the Nation not to be found elsewhere. In his genealogies, 
the writer quotes from twelve to fourteen authorities 
which he mentions by name. He gives the Temple-wor- 
ship as the central bond of the Nation but he does not 
concern himself much about the general history of Israel. 
And, in the matters of history given compared with that of 
other records, we find many omissions and additions and 
some conflict. 

The latter of these books ends in the middle of a sen- 
tence which is continued in the third verse of the first 
chapter of the book of Ezra and the last two verses are 
the same as the first three of Ezra which would indicate 
that these and the book of Ezra were originally one and 
written by the same author. 

Ezra 

This book narrates the release of the Israelities from 
their Babylonian captivity and their return to Judah to 
rebuild the Temple under the proclamation of King Cyrus 
of Babylon, and the restoration of the vessles of the 
Temple which Nebuchadnezzar carried away to Babylon 
and placed in the house of the god he worshipped. 

It gives the number and names of the houses of Israel 
that returned to Judah, the progress in the building of the 
Temple with the hindrances and delays in the work, and 
the final completion and dedication of the Temple. 

The last four chapters of the book are devoted to an 
account of Ezra's return to Judah from Babylon with a 
commission of authority from Artaxerxes, King of Baby- 
lon, and his subsequent civil and religious relations with 
the children of Israel. 

[29] 



Nehemiah 

The book of Nehemiah relates the personal dis- 
tresses of Nehemiah in the devastations of Jerusalem 
where he went armed with a commission from the King of 
Babylon to view the city. He armed the laborers, gave 
them military precepts, and incited them to proceed with 
the work despite the opposition of their enemies. 

The writer gives the names and order of those who 
built the walls of the Temple, reviews the financial distress 
of the people and the relief he had obtained for them, and 
points out the waywardnesses of the people with the 
appeals he had made to them. 

He gives the genealogy of those who first came out 
of Babylon and their substance, the religious manner of 
reading the law, the solemn feasts, and the repentances of 
the people. And, relating his petition for divine favor, 
he reviews all that God has done for the people in times 
past, his own efforts in bringing about a reformation, 
and the making of a sure Covenant with its points and 
the names of the princes, Levites, and priests who sealed 
it. 

He catalogues the names of the rulers, the voluntary 
men, the tenth men selected by lot to dwell at Jerusalem, 
and the residue to dwell in other cities. He gives the 
names of the priests and the Levites with the succession 
of high priests and certain high Levites, the offices of the 
priests and the Levites appointed in the Temple, and 
impresses upon the people the solemnity of the dedica- 
tion of the walls. He demands a separation of the chil- 
dren of Israel from the mixed multitude upon the reading 
of the Law, a cleansing of the chambers, and rebukes the 
violations of the Sabbath and the marriages with strange 

[30] 



women, demanding a reformation therein and in the 
offices of the house of God. 

Esther 

Esther was a very beautiful orphan Jewess whose 
beauty gained for her the position of queen to King 
Ahasuerus of Shushan, without him knowing her nativity. 
Becoming a great favorite of the king, she had great in- 
fluence over him and rendered very great service to her 
people, the Jews. The book is the story of her life as 
queen as it relates to her interventions in behalf of her 
people, the Jews, and the result thereof. 

The book contains ten chapters. The name of God 
does not appear in this book nor is there any direct 
reference to religion but it occupies a very important place 
among the sacred literature of the Jewish people, being 
one of the "Rolls" and is read at the feast of Purim. 

Job 

The book of Job contains forty-two chapters of con- 
siderable length. It is without a connection in the line of 
the other writings of the bible, and apparently had its ori- 
gin in a line of religious thought that was foreign to that 
of the Jews. It differs from all the other books of the 
Bible in having no reference to the covenant people or 
their history. This book is a mine of the deepest relig- 
ious thought and teaching, appearing to be a novel with 
a deeper and more spiritual meaning than the one under- 
lying it. 

The principal character of the book is one called Job 
who is said to be of the land of Uz and represented as a 
perfect and upright man who fears God, eschews evil, had 
the greatest religious care for his children, had a very 

. ^ . [31] 



great household and great substance, was very charitable 
toward the poor and needy of his time, and was the 
greatest man of the East. 

The story of this sacred book is strikingly significant 
in the line of deep and rich religious teaching. Job, as 
"the perfect and upright man who feareth God and 
escheweth evil," is delivered into the wiles of Satan to be 
tested in his righteousness. Satan deprives Job of his 
great worldly prosperity which causes him to mourn but 
he blesses God in his mourning. Satan, then, afflicts Job's 
body with sore boils, from head to foot, and brings to 
bear upon Job the influence and advise of his wife and 
friends in reproof of God and himself in all of which 
Job defends God and maintains himself as the perfect 
and upright man who fears God and eschews evil. 
Finally, there appears to Job a youth in the person of one 
Elihu who, excusing his youth and offering himself in 
the place of God to reason with Job, shows Job that it 
is ignorance and imbecility that causes his afflictions, and 
Job, humbling himself to God, is cured, magnified, and 
blessed, and he lives to be old and full of years. 

Psalms 

The book of Psalms contains one hundred and fifty, 
mostly, short chapters. It was divided by the Hebrew.v 
into five parts — the first forty-one chapters, from the end 
of the forty-first to the end of the seventy-second, from 
the end of the seventy-second to the end of the eighty- 
ninth, from the end of the eighty-ninth to the end of the 
one hundred sixteenth, and the fifth, the remainder of the 
book. Each of these parts concludes with a doxolog}% 
the first three with the additional words "Amen and 

[32] 



Amen," and the last two finishes with the word "Hallelu- 
jah" which is not found in the other subdivisions. 

The book is a compilation of prayers and sacred 
hymns written in praise of God. Some of this writing 
is thought to be as old as the exodus and as late as the 
times of the captivity, covering a period of about one 
thousand years. Most all of these prayers and hymns are 
subscribed, and were, no doubt, prepared for and used 
in the Temple-worship, x 

Proverbs 

The book of Proverbs is a collection of maxims, dark 
sayings, wise and pithy sayings, popular sayings expres- 
sive of well known truths, common facts ascertained by 
experience and observation, and short dramatic composi- 
tion. This book is frequently quoted from in the New 
Testament writings. 

The arrangements of the verse sense of the writings 
divides the book into five parts. In the first ten chapters the 
sense is carried on thru consecutive paragraphs, render- 
ing this the most poetical and beautiful part of the book. 
The next part is just the reverse, the sense being con- 
fined mostly to separate verses. The third part is mostly 
like the second except that the tone is of a lower pitch. 
In the fourth part, the sense is mostly consecutive but 
not so poetical as the first part. And in the fifth part, 
we have an acrostic composition, running thru all the 
letters of the Hebrew alphabet, in which the verse has 
little connection with the one preceding or following it. 

ECCLESIASTES 

This book is one of the five "Rolls" and is read at the 
[33] 



feast of the Tabernacles. The name of Jehovah, the 
Covenant God does not occur in the book. Seemingly 
for the purpose of leading men to the practical conclusion 
of fearing God and keeping his commandments, here is 
pictured the unsatisfactory nature of all worldly things. 

Solomon's Song 

This book is the first of the five ''Rolls" and is read 
annually at the Passover. The subject matter is in the 
nature of a dialogue between two lovers with a chorus 
of the daughters of Jerusalem joining in it from time to 
time. It is a most exquisite poem, and both the Jew and 
the Christian have always believed that it has a deeper 
and more spiritual meaning than the literal one under- 
lying it. 

Isaiah 

This book as its name indicates, is made up from the 
prophetical and other writings by Isaiah who was the 
first of sixteen prophets, properly so-called, classed as 
four greater and twelve lesser, whose writings are repre- 
sented in this part of the Bible. Because of his clear 
annunciation of Christ's Kingdom and the ingathering 
of the Gentiles, Isaiah has been called the "Evangelical 
Prophet." 

Besides the Jews, the prophecies of Isaiah include 
the nations of Babylon, ^loab, Damascus, Ethiopia, Egypt, 
the Desert of the Sea, Babylonia, Arabia, and Tyre, ex- 
posing without mercy the pride, impiety, hypocrisy, covet- 
uousness, lasciviousness, and unfaithfulness of the people 
in general and of the Jews in particular. 

Isaiah declares the damnable nature of sin, threathens 

[34] 



sure destruction of the wicked, and, setting forth the 
idolatry and sins of the Jews with their senseless and 
deep hypocrisy, bewails the wickedness and impenitency 
of the children of Israel, giving these as the causes for 
God forsaking His people. 

In Isaiah's vision, he foresees the fall of Babylon, the 
remnant that should praise God joyfully and be advanced 
in the Kingdom of Christ, a church of Jews and Gentiles, 
and a prefigure of the Kingdom of Christ. He prophe- 
sies the coming of Christ's Kingdom which in the ex- 
tremity of evils will be a sanctuary with joy in the midst 
of affliction. He portrays the Lord in his glory, and the 
joy at His birth and kingdom; the victorious restora- 
tion of Israel, and the vocation of the Gentiles ; and the 
calling of Egypt to the Church with the Covenant of 
Egypt, Assyria, and Israel. 

Praising Christ as the sure foundation, he foretells the 
blessings of His Kingdom and its joyful furnishings; the 
virtues and privileges of the Gospel and its promulga- 
tion; the preaching by John the Baptist and by the 
apostles; the calling of the Gentiles; the office of Christ; 
and the office of the ministers in preaching the Gospel. 

He foretells the fact of Christ being sent to the Jews, 
His complaint of them, and His being then sent to the 
Gentiles, showing that the dereliction of the Jews is not 
to be imputed to Christ, and excuses the scandal of the 
Cross. And showing that the Jews for their incredulity, 
idolatry, and hypocrisy are rejected but that a remnant 
should be saved, he declares the blessed state of the 
New Jerusalem and that the Gentiles shall have a holy 
Church. 

He exhorts to trust in Christ after the pattern of 

[35] 



Abraham, declares that the sanctification is to be general 
and without respect to persons, portrays the happy suc- 
cess of them that believe, and asserts the amplitude of the 
Gentile Church. 

According to tradition, Isaiah, the greatest of the Jew- 
ish prophets, was sawn asunder in the trunk of a mul- 
berry tree by the Jews. 

Jeremiah 

This book contains fifty-two unusually long chapters 
of the prophetic and other writings of the prophet Jere- 
miah. The first thirty-nine chapters contain prophecies 
mingled with history which for the most part has refer- 
ence to the Covenant people, covering the period from the 
time of his calling to the capture of the Holy City Jeru- 
salem. The next six chapters contain historical narrative 
with prophecies after the taking of the Holy City. Chap- 
ters forty-six to fifty-one inclusive, contain prophecies 
pertaining to the foreign nations of Egypt, Philistia, 
Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kidsr, and Elam. The 
last chapter is a historical appendix which appears to 
have been written by a different author. 

As they have come down to us in the English Bible, 
there is an evident confusion in the orderly arrangement 
of these prophesies by Jeremiah in point of time. He, 
like Isaiah, arraigns the Jews for their brazen pride, im- 
piety, hypocrisy, covetuousness, lasciviousness, and un- 
faithfulness, charging as beyond all example the cause- 
less revolts of the Jews and that they are the cause of 
their own calamities. He charges that their perverseness, 
adultery, impiety, and great corruption in the civil and 
ecclesiastical life had brought the judgments of God upon 
the Jews. 

[36] 



He reviews the spoiling of the tabernacle by foolish 
pastors, the conspiracies to kill the prophets, the mockers 
of God's prophets, the spite of the Jews, the lying proph- 
ets, and, showing the power of God in disposing of 
nations, predicts the desolation and utter ruin of the Jews 
for their sins and declares that their return from captivity 
will be stranger than their deliverance out of Egypt. And, 
giving their manifold sins and disobediences with their 
foolish and shameless impenitency as the cause of all 
their bitter calamities, he declares the wrath of God, and 
the calamity of the Jews both dead and alive. He fore- 
tells their miserable Babylonian captivity, the destruction 
of Babylon, and the restoration of the scattered flocks of 
Israel. 

Jeremiah relates the burning of the roll of his proph- 
ecies by vision. He promises Christ who should rule 
and save the scattered flocks of Israel and, pointing to the 
New Covenant the Church with stability and amplitude, he 
declares that Christ is the Branch of Righteousness, and a 
continuance of Kingdom and priesthood. 

Jeremiah relates the burning of the roll of his proph- 
ecies by the king and his writing a new copy, his being 
taken as a fugitive, beaten, put in a dungeon, and carried 
away with others into Egypt, and his delivery of the book 
of his prophecies to be cast into the Euphrates in token 
of the perpetual sinking of Babylon. 

Lamentations 

The book of Lamentations is one of the five "Rolls" 
and is read by the Jews on the ninth day of "Ab," the 
day on which the first Temple was destroyed. 

It is believed that Jeremiah wrote this book also. It 

[37] 



has but five chapters. The first four chapters are acros- 
tic poems. Chapters one, two, and four each have twenty- 
two verses according to the number of the Hebrew letters. 
Chapter three has sixty-six verses which are divided into 
twenty-two sets of three verses each according to the 
number of the Hebrew letters. Chapter five has twenty- 
two verses but the arrangement is not alphabetical. 

The author depicts the miseries the city of Jerusalem 
underwent between the time of its capture and destruc- 
tion and, bewailing the Nation's sins as the cause of the 
degradation, prays that her reproach may be taken away 
and her days renewed as of old. 

EZEKIEL 

The prophet Ezekiel seems to have been the younger 
contemporary of Jeremiah in the land of the captivity but 
was not with him in Egypt. Ezekiel was one of the lead- 
ing Jews at Jerusalem and was carried away into Babylon- 
ian captivity. A chief characteristic of these writings 
is their visionary nature, resembling those of Daniel, 
Zachariah, and the Revelations of John in the New Testa- 
ment in this respect. A great portion are eminently 
evangelical and thot to await fulfilment in the church of 
Christ. 

This book, containing forty-eight chapters, has four 
main divisions. The first twenty-four chapters contain 
prophecies directed mainly against Israel. The next eight 
chapters contain prophecies directed against the foreign 
nations of Moabites, Edomites, Philistines, Tyre, Sidon, 
Egypt, and Pathros. Chapters thirty-three to thirty-nine, 
inclusive, contain reproof of unfaithful shepherds, the 
vision of dry bones, and the overthrow of Gog, etc. The 

[38] 



last nine chapters are devoted to a vision of the Temple 
with its measurements and appointments. 

He narrates his vision of four Cherubims, four 
Wheels, and the glory of God; the roll of his prophecy 
and his eating of the roll; the rule of prophecy, the proph- 
ecies by vision and by types, and the teaching by par- 
ables. He foretells the idolatry, abomination, and final 
desolation of Israel; the famine; the captivity; and the 
dispersion. 

In a vision of God, the author is shown the image of 
jealousy and the chamber of imagery, the preservation 
of some with a destruction of the rest for whom God 
cannot be entreated, and God's purpose in saving a rem- 
nant. He shows the lying prophets and their untempered 
morters, the prophetesses and their pillows, and the 
seduced prophets. 

Denouncing Jerusalem's whoredom and stating that 
her sin matches those of her mother Sodom and exceeds 
that of her sister Samaria, he records the promise of God 
to plant the cedar of the Gospel, and to gather them by 
the Gospel. He recounts Israel's rebellion in Egypt, in 
the wilderness, and in the land of promise; and records 
the parable of the lion's whelps taken in the pit, and that 
of the wasted vine. 

Ezekiel pictures his vision of the Temple, the division 
of the land by lot, and the portion of each. He cata- 
logues the sins of Jerusalem and predicts its destruction, 
showing the general corruption of prophets, priests, 
princes, and the people which are to be burned as drosg 
in God's furnace. He shows the restoration of Israel — 
that Israel shall be gathered again with eternal favor. 



[39] 



the Kingdom of Christ and its blessedness, and the 
promise of Christ's Kingdom. 

Daniel 

Daniel was a captive in the Babylonian captivity who, 
by reason of his special wisdom, gained special favor 
from the king for himself and his three companions in 
confinement. The vision and prophecy recorded here are 
remarkable in character, predicting the death of the Mes- 
siah who is here named for the first time and even men- 
tioning the year in which the Messiah will be cut off. It 
also predicts the rise and power of the Roman Empire 
which was afterwards experienced as history records. The 
book contains twelve chapters and naturally divides into 
two parts which over lap in point of time. The first six 
chapters pertain to history and the latter six record the 
remarkable visions and prophesies. 

The book narrates Daniel's interpretation of the king's 
lost dream, to the exclusion of all of the king's 
magicians and astrologers, giving him advancement in 
the king's house ; the faithfulness of Daniel and his three 
companions to Israel's God, their deliverance out of the 
midst of a burning fiery furnace, their advancement, and 
God's praise; Daniel's interpretation of the handwriting 
on the wall which miraculously appeared at the time of the 
king's impious feast for which service he was made the 
third ruler of the Kingdom; the death of the king accord- 
ing to Daniel's interpretation of the writing appearing on 
the wall, the taking of the Kingdom by Darius, and Dan- 
iel's being made chief of the presidents ; the conspiracy 
against Daniel by reason of which he was cast into the 
lion's den, his miraculous deliverance, and the casting of 

[40] 



his conspirators into the Hon's den where they were de- 
voured ; and the magnifying of God by the decree of the 
king. 

Commencing with the seventh chapter, the book re- 
cords Daniel's visions, of four beasts of God's Kingdom 
and the interpretation thereof, of the ram and the he goat, 
of the two thousand three hundred days of sacrifice, of 
Gabriel who interpreted the vision telling of the coming 
and the cutting off of the Messiah, of the destruction of 
the City and the Sanctuary which for abominations 
should be desolate, of an angel, after extended prayer and 
supplication for himself and his people, who comforts 
him; and his prophecies, the overthrow of Persia by the 
king of Grecia, the invasion and tyranny of the Romans, 
that Michael should deliver Israel from her troubles ; also 
Daniel's showings as to the time of the end. 

HOSEA 

In the order of the books, Hosea is the first of the 
twelve minor prophets. These writings appear to be con- 
temporary with those of Isaiah, Amos, Micah, and pos- 
sibly with Joel and Jonah. There are fourteen chapters, 
the first three being devoted to figurative prophecy and the 
remainder to the sins of the people and the priests. 

Giving the Judgments of God by name and enumera- 
tion against this people in consequence of their sins, he 
predicts the destruction of Judah and Samaria, the return 
of the children of Israel to David their king, the restora- 
tion of Judah and Israel, and the ingathering of the 
Gentiles. 

By himself, his wife, and their children, Hosea illus- 
trates spiritual whoredom and, by the expiation of an 

[41] 



adulteress, he illustrates the desolation of Israel before 
her restoration, declaring the idolatry, adultery, impiety, 
and the sins of the people and priests, and giving God's 
judgments against them until they repent. 

The book is a mine of allusions to earlier history, but 
its style and language is very obscure. 

Joel 

This book has but three chapters. Joel has three 
prophecies which pertain to the plague of locusts, the gift 
of the Holy Ghost, and the judgment of the Gentiles in 
the valley of Jehoshaphat. He declares sundry judg- 
ments of God, advises obedience to them, advises mourn- 
ing, and provides a feast. Showing the terribleness of 
God's judgment, he admonishes repentance and promises 
a blessing. He comforts Zion with present and future 
blessings, and shows God's blessing upon the Church. 

Amos 

The Mission of Amos was that of a prophet to Israel 
but he prophecies against Judah and the surrounding na- 
tions, making numerous references to "the book of 
Moses." He shows God's judgment upon Syria, the Phil- 
istines, Tyrus, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Judah, and Israel, 
with the necessity of the judgment against Israel as re- 
proof for her idolatry, oppression, and incorrigibleness. 
Israel's rejection for hypocritical service is signified by the 
wall and the plumb line, and it is recorded that the judg- 
ments of grasshoppers and fire are diverted by the prayer 
of Amos. 

Amos shows the certainty of the desolation and re- 
storation of the tabernacle of David, reproves Israel's 

[42] 



oppressiveness, threatens a famine of the word, and shows 
the nearness of Israel's end by a basket of summer 
flowers. 

Obediah 

The book of Obediah has but one chapter which re- 
cords Obediah's vision and prophecy of the destruction 
of Edom on acount of its pride and its wrong unto Jacob, 
and the victory and salvation of Jacob. 

Jonah 

This book containing but four chapters, is considered 
very important in Christian religious literature because 
of the reference made to it by Jesus in His earthly min- 
istry. And its rapid action and fulness of incident. 
With its most remarkable story of the Bible, about Jonah 
and the whale characterizes and makes it one of the most 
remarkable of the books of the Bible. 

MiCAH 

Micah is a shorter form of the name Micaiah or 
Michaiah and means "Who is like the Lord." The 
prophet Micah was contemporary with, tho younger, than 
Isaiah. The prophecies begin with the words, "Uttered 
by his great namesake, Micaiah," and end with a clear 
reference to the promises contained in Genesis, showing 
that these promises had for centuries been the hope of 
Israel. In the New Testament writings this book is re- 
ferred to in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 

This book records a very clear prophecy of the de- 
struction of Jerusalem and the return from Babylon, and 
several very important evangelical prophecies uttered by 
Micah. It adopts a very remarkable prophecy by Isaiah, 

[43] 



and makes reference to the history of Balaam as recorded 
in the book of Numbers. 

Here is shown the cruelty of the princes, the false- 
hood of the prophets, the general corruption, and the 
small number of the Church; God's controversy for un- 
kindness, ignorance, injustice, and idolatry; God's wrath 
against Jacob for idolatry, oppression, and injustice with 
the promise that Jacob will be restored ; the birth, King- 
dom and conquest of Christ; and the glory, peace, king- 
dom, and victory of the Church. 

Nahum 

The book of Nahum commences with the words, 
"The burden of Nineveh and the book of the vision of 
Nahum the Elkoshite." 

Nahum upholds the majesty of God in goodness to 
His people and His severity against His enemies, and, 
picturing the fearful and victorious armies of God against 
Nineveh, he predicts its miserable ruin which occured as 
shown in the revelations by modern discovery. 

Habakkuk 

This book is short and has two parts. In the first part 
is a dialogue between the prophet and God with the 
famous maxim, "The just shall live by faith," used by 
Paul in his New Testament writings. In the second part 
is found a prayer or hymn which, apparently, was writ- 
ten for use in the Temple-worship, and a review of some 
of the past history of the Nation from which the prophet 
derives strength and confidence in God regardless of any 
calamities that may befall him or the Nation. 



[44] 



Zephaniah 

Zephaniah carries the genealogy of the people back 
to one Hezekiah who is thot to have been the King Heze- 
kiah of the fourth generation; and prophesies against 
Judah and Jerusalem, the Philistines, Moab, Ammon, 
Ethiopia, and Nineveh which is Assyria, concluding with 
a promise of brighter times for the daughter of Zion. 
He prophesies the consuming of man and beast, the fowl 
of heaven, the fish of the seas, the stumbling-block with 
the wicked, and the cutting off of man the remnant of Baal 
from the land. 

The prophet forsees the time when idolatry will be 
extinct and the Gentiles will serve the Lord with one 
consent, but he makes no definite prediction of the Mes- 
siah. He declares that the day of the Lord is at hand. 
He having prepared a sacrifice and bid His guests; that 
the day of the Lord is a day of wrath, of trouble, and of 
distress ; that it is a day of wastefulness and desolation ; 
that it is a day of darkness and gloominess, having clouds 
and thick darkness; that it is a day of trumpets and 
alarm against the fenced cities and high towers; that 
it is a day in which the whole land shall be devoured by 
the fire of God's jealousy. 

Haggai 

Haggai prophesied after the time of the Captivity. 
His prophecies are few and short but of the greatest im- 
portance. He delivered one of the most remarkable and 
definite prophecies relating to the Messiah, on record, 
enunciating it with the five times repeated formula, 
'Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ;" and was the medium of 
four distinct divine messages to the governor and people 

[45] 



who were engaged in rebuilding the Temple. The sev- 
eral dates of his prophetic messages are accurately fixed 
even to the day on which they were delivered and cover 
the period from the first day of the sixth month to the 
twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of the year five 
hundred twenty, before Christ. 

Zachariah 

After a short preface, this book records in order a suc- 
cession of visions, a series of prophecies without visions, 
prophecies introduced by the words, "The burden of the 
word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach," and proph- 
ecies introduced by the words, "The burden of the word 
of the Lord of Israel." It records Zachariah's visions 
of the horses, the four horns, the four carpenters, and the 
man with the measuring line going to measure the length 
and breadth of Jerusalem; also his prophecies of the 
redemption of Zion, the promise of God's presence, and, 
under the type of Joshua, the restoration of the Church 
is shown, and Christ as the branch is promised. 

Zachariah illustrates, by the golden candlestick, the 
good success of Zerubbable's foundation ; by the two olive 
trees, the two anointed ones ; by the flying roll, the curse 
of theives and swearers ; by the woman pressed in an 
Ephan, the final damnation of Babylon; and, by the 
crowns of Joshua, the Temple and the Kingdom of 
Christ. He also records his vision of the four chariots, 
and God's defense of His Church. 

The prophet predicts the destruction of Jerusalem 
with care of the elect and the destruction of the rest. 
He shows the staves of beauty, the coming of Christ 
and the graces of His Kingdom, the trial of the third part, 

[46] 



the bands broken by the rejection of Christ, and the 
death of Jesus, exhorting Zion to rejoice for the coming 
of Christ and His peacable Kingdom. 

Malachi 

This the thirty-ninth and last book in the order of the 
first part of the EngHsh Bible records Malachi's proph- 
ecies of John the Baptist and of Christ; complains of 
Israel's unkindness, irreligiousness, and profaneness ; 
sharply rebukes the priests for neglecting their Covenant, 
and the people for idolatry and infidelity; declares the 
rebellion, sacrilege, and infidelity of the people; the maj- 
esty, grace, and Messiahship of Christ; the promise of 
blessing on the good; and telleth of Elijah's coming and 
office, exhorting to the study of the Law. 

The book of Malachi is quoted from in the books 
of Mark, Luke and Romans of the New Testament writ- 
ings. 



[47] 



PART IV 



A SUMMARY OF THE BOOKS OF THE 
NEW TESTAMENT 

The New Testament part of the English Bible has 
twenty-seven books which in the most part pertain to the 
human nativity, history, and teaching of Jesus; his apos- 
tles with some of their history, teaching, and writing; the 
Christian church and religion, and the revelations by John. 
The nature of the writings in this New Testament part 
of this Bible divides its books into four general classes — 
Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation. The first four 
books make up the Gospel, the next book the Acts, the 
next twenty-one books contains the Epistles, and the last 
book the Revelation. There are eight different persons 
reputed as the writers of the New Testament part of 
this Bible, five of whom,Matthew, John, James, Peter, and 
Paul were apostles and three, Mark, Luke, and Jude 
were converts, under the preaching and teaching of cer- 
tain of the apostles, who were enlisted in the work of the 
Christian church and religion. 

Matthew 

The author of these writings is not certainly known 
but thru confirmed belief they have been canonized as, 
"The Gospel according to Saint Matthew," and, believing 

[49] 



them to have been the first in point of time, this book 
has been placed first in the order of the New Testament 
writings. The writer is very careful to show that Jesus 
was the Messiah of the Jews, and that certain events 
in the life of Jesus had been foretold by the Jewish proph- 
ets. He tells the manner of the conception and birth 
of Jesus, showing that it was in fulfilment of the proph- 
ecy that, a son should be born of a virgin and his name 
called "Emanuel — God with us," and gives the genealogy 
of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph the husband of Mary 
the mother of Jesus. 

To the author of these writings, we are indebted for 
the only record we have of the "Sermon on the Mount," 
the charge to the apostles, and many parables not found 
elsewhere. 

Mark 

The traditional author of the writings in this second 
book, canonized as, "The Gospel according to Saint 
Mark," is Mark who is believed to have been the John 
spoken of as having the surname Mark, the disciple of 
Peter. He was a companion of Paul until the dissention 
between Paul and Barnabas on account of Mark's defec- 
tion when he became the companion of Barnabas for a 
time; but afterwards, becoming reconciled, he again 
became and remained the close companion of Paul to the 
time of Paul's death. 

The writer certifies to the work and office of John 
the Baptist as the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus, sup- 
porting this view with quotations from the writings of 
the earHer Jewish prophets. He writes of the work and 
office of John the Baptist, tells about the baptism, temp- 

[50] 



tations, and preaching of Jesus, the call of the apostles^ 
and relates numerous instances when Jesus healed the 
sick, caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dumb 
to speak, the lame to walk, the dead to rise, and the evil 
spirits to depart from those afflicted by them. He records 
the parables, of the sower, of the seed growing secretly, 
of the mustard seed. He narrates many miracles. He 
relates the transfiguration of Jesus, the coming of Elias, 
the betrayal of Jesus with his trial and condemnation, and 
the crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and ascension. 

Minuteness of detail is a characteristic of these writ- 
ings which strongly ilmstrate the humane nature of 
Jesus. 

Luke 

Luke, the traditional author of the third book, can- 
onized as, ''The Gospel according to St. Luke," was a 
Gentile by birth, and a physician by profession. He 
joined Paul in his second missionary journey at Troas, 
and went with Paul to Jerusalem and to Rome. 

The author says he was not an eye witness to the life 
and ministry of Jesus nor a minister of the word from 
the first but writes what he has learned from those who 
were both witnesses and ministers from the first. He 
prefaces the book with the following: "Forasmuch as 
many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declara- 
tion of those things which are most surely believed among; 
us who from the beginning were eye witnesses and min- 
isters of the word, it seemed good to me also, having had 
a perfect understanding of all things from the very first,. 
to write unto thee most excellent Theophilus, friend of 
God, in order that thou might know the certainty of those 
things wherein thou hast been instructed." 

[51] 



He traces the genealogy of Jesus back to Adam who he 
designates as ''The Son of God," gives the most complete 
accounts of John the Baptist and of Jesus of any of the 
writers, relates most all that is contained in each of the 
other three books of the Gospel with many additional 
incidents, parables, prophecies, ana teachings not found 
elsewhere, rendering this record the most complete of the 
four Gospels. 

To this author, we are indebted for our information 
relative to some of the most important events in the 
beginning of the Christian era: — The manner and the 
circumstances surrounding the conception and birth of 
John the Baptist and of those of Jesus, the prophecy 
by Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist and that of 
Mary the mother of Jesus concerning the conception and 
birth of Jesus, the prophecy by Zacharias the father of 
John the Baptist concerning John the Baptist and Jesus, 
the nativity and circumcision of Jesus, the prophecies by 
Simeon and Anna concerning Jesus, the wisdom of Jesus 
as shown in his answering and questioning the doctors 
of the Law while in the Temple concerning the Law, 
the records of discourses which commence with the 
fifteenth verse of the ninth chapter and end with the 
fifteenth verse of the eighteenth chapter, the events of 
chapter twenty-four, and especially the account of the 
ascension of Jesus. 

John 

This Gospel has the internal evidence of having been 
written by the apostle John the son of Zebedee and 
Salome. Before becoming a follower of Jesus, he was 
a disciple of John the Baptist and a Galilean fisherman by 

[52] 



occupation. The day following the baptism of Jesus by 
John the Baptist, he was standing with John the Baptist 
and Andrew Simon Peter's brother and, seeing Jesus 
walking and hearing John the Baptist say, "Behold the 
Lamb of God," he with Andrew followed Jesus, abiding 
with him that day. From this time on, becoming a 
disciple of Jesus, this John identified himself with Jesus 
and his work. 

Tradition describes this John as of a priestly family, 
and there are internal evidences in the book that he was 
familiar with the high priest Caiaphas before whom Jesus 
was taken for trial at the time of his arrest. In the last 
chapter of the book, the author is described as, "The 
disciple whom Jesus loved," and in the last two verses 
of the twentieth chapter the object of the writing is 
stated to be, "That ye might believe that Jesus is the 
Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have 
Life thru His name." 

The author describes the manner of the divinity, hu- 
manity, and office of Jesus Christ. He declares that 
Jesus Christ was the Word, was with God, and was 
God ; that all things were made by Him ; that in Him 
was Life the light of man which lighteth every man and 
gives him power to become the Son of God ; that He was 
born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the 
will of man but of God ; and that Grace and Truth came 
by Him. 

The Acts 

In this book the writer narrates principally the acts 
of apostles under Divine and Church influences, ren- 
dering the only account we have of the organization and 

[53] 



early history of the Christian church, and among Chris- 
tians this book is considered one of the most if not 
the most important of the Bible. 

The writer of this book, the most important to the 
Christian Church, is not certainly known but, assuming 
that Luke wrote the third Gospel, there are internal 
and other evidences that it was he who wrote this book; 
for here, as in the third Gospel, ''Theophilus" is ad- 
dressed, and here reference is made to the writer's 
former treatise, "containing all that Jesus began to do 
and to teach until the day in which he was taken up," 
indicating that the two books were written by one and 
the same person. And there is no one to whom all the 
circumstances so plainly point as to Luke as the author 
of this book. 

To the writer of this book we are indebted for the 
information we have about the day of Pentecost, the 
gift of the Holy Ghost, and the first spread of the Gospel 
at Jerusalem; about the extension of the Gospel to the 
Gentiles; about the organization of saints at Jerusalem, 
and the counsel of Jerusalem; about the miraculous con- 
version of Saul and his call to the Gentile apostleship 
under the name of Paul; about Paul's three great mis- 
sionary journeys, organizing churches, the Jewish op- 
position to his missionary work, and his imprisonments 
and death. 

From the thirteenth chapter to the end of the book, 
the writer confines his narrative almost exclusively to 
the acts, sayings, and doings of Paul in his work as 
an apostle of ''The Christ." 

Romans 
This is an epistle or letter written by Paul, as an 

[54] 



apostle to the Romans. At the time of writmg this 
letter, he was about to start to Jerusalem with the con- 
tributions the various churches he had organized had 
turned over to him for the poor saints at Jerusalem, and 
to report the status of his missionary work. It appears 
that Paul had not as yet returned to Rome since his 
conversion to the Christian religion and his becoming 
an apostle. 

The first eleven chapters are doctrinal and the re- 
mainder are practical. It is one of the most if not the 
most argumentative epistle written by Paul, and con- 
tains a complete scheme of Gospel methods of Salvation. 

He deals with the cause of Israel and their rejection 
of Jesus showing that designs of mercy were at work 
even in that. He works out the obligation of holiness 
which rests on the Gospel basis of doctrine. He shows 
that all mankind had sinned and came short of the glory 
of God, but that a remedy was provided in the blood- 
shedding by Jesus which becomes effectual to every man 
upon faith without conformity to the Law ; that Abra- 
ham had been declared righteous upon faith which 
showed that this was God's original method ; and the con- 
sequences of being thus justified with its blessings and 
responsibility, concluding with a list of salutations and 
doxology. 

First Corinthians 

Paul, having organized a church at Corinth composed 
mostly of Gentiles, was called upon to advise the church 
concerning marriage, meats ofifered to idols, the dress 
of women in public, the exercise of spiritual gifts, and 
the collection for the poor, and he wrote this epistle or 
letter to that church in answer to these queries, and to 

[55] 



make complaint to them about the internal dissensions 
which he had learned prevailed among them about the 
incestuous man, disorders of the love feast, and denials 
of the resurrection. He strongly asserts his own au- 
thority, and alludes to an earlier letter he had written to 
them which we have no record of. 

Second Corinthians 
This is another letter written by Paul to the Corinth- 
ian church in which he defends his own personal char- 
acter and ministry and sets forth in strong language his 
own personal character as a minister of Christ. He 
closes by urging them to complete the collection for the 
poor at Jerusalem before his arrival. 

Galatians 

The Galatians were a people feeble and vacillating in 
character whose ancestors were originally Gauls, crossing 
over into Asia Minor. Paul had organized churches 
among them which, under the influence of corrupting 
Judaizing teachers, had adopted Jewish practices, with 
a view of making their Christian position better, but 
which in effect was a rejection of the fulness of Christ's 
Redemption, and Paul writes and sends this letter to 
these Galatian churches, defending his apostolic author- 
ity. He refutes the Judaizing errors and gives a valuable 
summary of his own life. 

Ephesians 

Paul had established a church among the Ephesians 
at Ephesus and without any apparent special purpose 
wrote and sent this letter to that church. In character, 
it is doctrinal and practical, and probably the most sub- 
lime of all his writings. . 

[56] 



In the first part, he sets forth the foundation, growth, 
purpose, and destiny of the Christian church and, in the 
latter part, he deals with the momentous responsibility 
and consequences resulting therefrom, alluding to his 
mission at Tychicus and his own imprisonment. 

Philippians 

In connection with Silas and Timotheus whose name 
was changed to Timothy, Paul had organized the Philip- 
pian church which appears to have been in danger of 
Judaizing teachers and, during the latter part of his im- 
prisonment at Rome, Paul wrote and sent this letter to- 
that church. It appears that, on two different occasions, 
when Paul was needy in temporal things, the Philippian 
church supplied his wants for which favors he was not 
unmindful or ungrateful in his writing to them. It ap- 
pears also that, at the time of this writing, Paul realized 
that his life was in danger which fact all the more stimu- 
lated his faith and zeal but he was not without hope that 
he might be released. 

COLOSSIANS 

It appears that the Judaizing teachers w^ere following 
Paul in his work; that Paul had organized a church 
among the Colossians which was in danger of these false 
teachers : and Paul wrote and sent this letter in oppo- 
sition to the Judaizing teachings, setting forth the real 
standing of the Colossian Christians in Christ; the ma- 
jesty of Christ's divine power; the fulness of Christ's 
Redemption; and the completeness with which they were 
identified with Christ in the New Life. 



[57] 



First Thessalonians 

Paul had founded a church among the Thessalonians 
at Thessalonica and had expected to return and visit them 
but the arrival of his Jewish opponents, who were inter- 
fering with his work at other points, prevented his return 
and he writes this letter. He alludes to a former letter 
he had written and sent to them of which we have no 
other account. 

This is thought to be the earliest of all Paul's extant 
epistles which accounts for the illogical allusions he makes 
to the coming of the Lord which misled the Thessalon- 
ians. 

Second Thessalonians 

This is another of Paul's letters. It was written and 
sent to the Thessalonians apparently to modify his former 
allusions to the coming of the Lord and remove the erron- 
eous impressions resulting therefrom touching the Lord's 
speedy return, and to console them in the troubles that 
were oppressing them. It is conciliatory, prophetic about 
the man of sin, and historical. 

First Timothy 

The two letters written and sent by Paul to Timothy 
and the one written and sent to Titus; relating to the 
pastor ial office, are called the Pastor ial Epistles. They 
are supposed to have been written shortly before Paul's 
death. 

Timothy's father was a Greek but his mother and 
grandmother were Jewesses. In order to render him 
acceptable to the Jews, Paul circumcised Timothy, bring- 
ing him into the Jewish Covenant, and, instructing him, 

[58] 



made him a minister of Christ, calHng him his son in 
Christ. 

Paul's object in writing this first letter to Timothy ap- 
pears to have been twofold, to exhort him to resist and 
oppose the false teaching of the day and to give directions 
about the appointment of ministers, selecting widows, 
and punishing offenders. 

Second Timothy 

This is Paul's second extant letter to Timothy. It 
is believed to have been the very last of Paul's writings. 
Being uncertain as to how it might be with him and think- 
ing the time of his departure was near at hand, he was 
anxious for Timothy to come and bring Mark to him at 
Rome. He hoped Timothy and Mark might be able to 
come before winter as he was then alone with Luke. 

A touching sadness pervades this epistle deepened by 
the final desertion of Damas, one of his little band but it 
is still full of bright hopes. 

Titus 

The subject matter of Paul's letter to Titus is gen- 
erally the same as that of those to Timothy. With state- 
ments of Christian doctrine which are to guide the teach- 
ing of Titus are matters of a personal nature. 

Philemon 

This writing by Paul to one Philemon is a private 
letter written without any didactic purpose. It appears 
that one Philemon, in whose house Paul had organized 
a church had a servant named Onesimus who, running 
away from his master, came to Rome and was converted 
to Christianity under Paul's preaching and teaching. 

[59] 



Paul, learning of Onesimus' relations to his friend 
Philemon, persuaded Onesimus to return to his master, 
writing and sending this letter with him to Philemon to 
insure his favorable reception by Philemon on his return. 
It is remarkable for its tenderness. 

Hebrews 

The authorship of this letter has always been in doubt 
but it reflects Paul's spirit. It appears to have been 
written to Jewish Christians at Rome, about the time of 
the seige of Jerusalem, to prevent them who were exposed 
to trials of various kinds from falling back and renounc- 
ing the faith of Christ. 

The writer labors to prove the superiority of the New 
Covenant over the Old by showing, from the Scriptures 
the Jewish Bible, the superiority of Jesus over the high- 
priests and the transitory and inefficient nature of the 
provisions of the Old Law. He begins by showing 
that Jesus, tho undergoing humiliation, was greater than 
the angels and, comparing Jesus with Moses, he shows 
that Jesus gives his people a better rest; that the high- 
priesthood itself was surpassed by that of Melchisedek 
and much more by that of Jesus; and, making a com- 
parison between the ordinances of the Law and the bet- 
ter promises of the Gospel, he exhorts to faith, patience, 
and good works. 

Whether this letter was written by Barnabas, Apollos, 
or by Paul and transcribed by Luke or Clement of Rome, 
as claimed by different authorities, it has at least evidences 
of the thot and teaching of Paul. 



[60] 



James 

This a general epistle by James is thot to come nearer 
than any other of the New Testament writings to the 
simplicity of the Gospel. He exhorts to patience under 
trial; shows the vanity of faith without works but not 
to the disparagment of faith; shows that a single trans- 
gression of the law is fatal to keeping it and therefore 
it cannot justify; and exhorts to the restraint of the 
tongue, to humility, and to prayer. 

First Peter 

This is a general epistle written by the apostle Peter 
and addressed "to the strangers scattered thruout Pontus, 
Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect," etc., con- 
taining elevated Christian doctrine and teaching. 

He shows that they are now born anew by the Word 
of God; that the salvation in Christ is no news, but a 
thing prophesied of old ; and that Christ is the foundation 
whereupon they are built. He teaches the duty of wives 
and husbands to each other, and exhorteth all men to 
unity and love, declaring the benefits of Christ toward the 
old world. He exhorteth to cease from sin and con- 
sider the general end that now approacheth. 

Second Peter 

The writer of this book speaks of himself as, "Simon 
Peter a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ" and as, "The 
author of a former epistle," which would seem to 
sufficiently identify the author, but its genuineness as a 
writing by Peter has been doubted. It is addressed, 
"to them that has obtained like precious faith with us 
thru the righteousness of "God and our Savior Jesus 

[ 61 ] 



Christ," and refers to an epistle written to them by Paul. 
In this letter, apparently knowing that his death was 
at hand, the writer confirms them in the hope of the 
increase of God's grace,, and warneth them to be constant 
in the faith of Christ who is the true Son of God. 
Describing the manner the world shall be destroyed, he 
exhorts them to all holiness of life and to think of the 
patience of God to tend to their salvation, as Paul wrote 
to them in his epistle. 

First Johx 

In this first epistle by John, he speaks of himself as, 
an eye-witness, and says, he had heard, seen, looked upon, 
and handled of the Word of Life. He refers frequently 
to the death of Jesus, and the book is full of the resur- 
rected Life, but he makes no mention of the resurrection. 
There is much reference to the gift of the spirit, and the 
familiar expressions of light, love, life, and truth are of 
frequent recurrence. As to the motive or purpose in 
writing, he says, "And these things write we unto you 
that your joy may be full.'' 

He describes the person of Christ in whom he says, 
we have eternal Life, the manner of that Life and the love 
of God in making us His Sons, those who love God, and 
declares that Jesus is the Son of God, able to save us, 
and to hear our prayers which we make for ourselves 
and for others. And he warneth not to believe all 
teachers who boast of the Spirit, but to try them by the 
rules of the catholic faith." 

Second John 

This epistle is addressed to "The elect lady and her 
children." It has been and is a question whether this 

[62] 



address refers to individuals or to a church. He also 
uses the term, ''The elect sisters" which would indicate 
that the address refers to certain individuals; but in 
considering the subject matter of the letter, it appears 
to us quite plain that John, writing as an elder, was 
addressing the Church and its communicants which he 
designates as, "The elect lady and her children," and 
that in speaking of her elect sister, he was designating the 
particular church or local organization of which he was 
an elder. The book is very short, having but one chapter 
of thirteen mostly short verses. 

He exhorteth to persevere in Christian love and belief, 
lest they lose the reward of their former profession, and 
to have nothing to do with those seducers that bring not 
the true doctrine of Christ Jesus. In the twelfth verse 
he says, "Having many things to write unto you, I would 
not write with paper and ink : for I trust to come unto 
you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full." 

Third John 

This is a short letter of one chapter and fourteen 
verses written by John as an elder to one Gains per- 
sonally whom he describes as, "The well beloved whom 
I love in the Truth." 

He commends Gains for his hospitality toward the 
true preachers in bringing them forward on their journey, 
since they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles. 
He says he had written to the church, and complains of 
the unkind dealings of ambitious Diotrephes, who loved 
preeminence among them, for not receiving or aiding 
the preachers and excommunicating those who did. He 
gives special testimony to the good report of Demitrius. 

[ 63 ] 



JUDE 

This book has but one chapter of twenty-five verses. 
The writer describes himself as, ''J^<^^j the servant of 
Jesus Christ, and brother of James." The letter is 
addressed, "to them that are sanctified by God the Father 
and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called." 

Exhorting them to be constant in the profession of 
the faith, he writes of the false teachers, who he says 
have crept in to seduce them, "for whose damnable doc- 
trine and manners, horrible punishment is prepared : 
whereas, the godly, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit 
and prayers to God, may preserve and grow in grace, 
and keep themselves and recover others out of the snare 
of those deceivers." 

Revelations 

This book, as well as the fourth Gospel and the first, 
second, and third John, is believed to have been written 
by the apostle John the son of Zebedee and Salome. He 
says, he writes "the Revelations of Jesus Christ which 
God gave unto Him to shew unto His servants things 
which must shortly come to pass and which He sent and 
signified by His angel unto His servant John who bare 
record of the Word of God and of the testimony of 
Jesus Christ and all things that he saw." 

In the narrative of this book, John relates the revela- 
tions to the seven churches of Asia signified by seven 
golden candlesticks; what is commanded to be written to 
the angel, that is, the ministers of the churches of 
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, and Thyatira, with what 
is commended and what is found wanting in them; the 
reproof of the angel of the church of Sardis, with a 

[64] 



threat if he does not repent; the commendation of the 
angel of the church of Philadelphia for his diligence 
and patience; and the rebuke of the angel of Laodicea 
for being neither hot nor cold, with the admonishment 
to be more zealous and the statement, ''Christ standeth 
at the door and knocketh." 

He narrates his vision of the throne of God in heaven, 
the four and twenty elders, the four beasts full of eyes 
before and behind, and the elders who, laying down 
their own crowns, worship him that sits upon the throne ; 
his visions, of a book sealed with seven seals which only 
the Lamb that was slain is worthy to open, and the elders 
who, therefore, praise him and confess that he redeemed 
them with his blood; his visions, of the opening of the 
seven seals in order, containing a prophecy to the end 
of the world, and what followed thereafter ; his vision of 
an angel sealing the servants of God in their foreheads, 
and the number of them that were sealed, of the tribes 
of Israel and all other nations ; his vision, at the opening 
of the seven seals, of seven angels who sounded a trum- 
pet at the opening of each seal, and what followed the 
opening of each seal and the sounding of a trumpet; his 
vision of an angel with a golden censer which he filled 
with fire of a golden altar and cast it into the earth, and 
what followed thereafter; his vision of a mighty strong 
angel who appeared with a little book open in his hand 
and sweareth by him that liveth forever, that there should 
be no time, and commanded John to eat the little book, 
which John did, finding it sweet in his mouth and bitter in 
his belly; his vision of two prophets who testified and 
were killed by the beasts from the bottomless pit, and 
whose dead bodies were left unburied in the street of the 

[65] 



great city where our Lord was crucified for three and one- 
half days, when the Spirit of God re-entered the dead 
bodies, restoring them to hfe, and they ascended into 
heaven; his vision of a w^oman clothed with the sun 
travailing and a great red dragon standing before her 
ready to devour her child, when the woman was delivered 
she fled into the wilderness, and Michael and his angels 
fought with the dragon, overpowering him, and cast him 
down into the earth where he persecuted the woman; 
his vision of a beast which riseth out of the sea with 
seven heads and ten horns to whom the dragon gave his 
power, and another beast which cometh up out of the 
earth, causing an image to be made out of the former 
beast which men w^orshipped and received its mark; his 
visions of a Lamb standing on Mount Sion with his 
company, an angel preaching the Gospel, the fall of 
Babylon, the harvest of the world and the putting in of 
the sickel, and the vintage and winepress of the wrath 
of God; his visions, of seven angels with the seven last 
plagues, the song of them that overcame the beast, 
the seven vials full of the wrath of God which the angels 
poured out, causing plagues to follow, and the coming 
of Christ as a thief; his visions, of a woman arrayed in 
purple and scarlet sitting upon the beast with a golden 
cup in her hand which is great Babylon the mother of all 
abominations, the interpretation of the seven heads and 
ten horns, and the punishment of the whore and the vic- 
tory of the Lamb; his visions, of the marriage of the 
Lamb, the angel which will not be worshipped, and the 
fowls called to the great slaughter ; his visions, of Satan 
being bound for a thousand years, the first resurrection 
and the blessed that have a part ^therein, Satan let loose 

[66] 



again, gog and magog, the devil being cast into the lake 
of fire and brim-stone, and the last and general resur- 
rection ; his visions, of a new heaven and a new earth, the 
heavenly Jerusalem with a full description thereof which 
needeth no sun, the glory of God being her light, and 
the kings of the earth bringing their riches unto her; 
his visions, of the river of the water of Life", the tree of 
Life, and the light of the city of God which is Himself; 
and closes with a statement of the disasters that will 
befall any one who adds to or takes away from the 
prophecy of this book. 

In the interpretation of the book of Revelation, the 
schools are mainly three-fold, those who believe it has 
been wholly fulfilled, those who believe it embraces the 
whole history of the Church, from the first to the end 
of all things, and those who believe it relates entirely to 
events that will take place at or near the second coming 
of the Lord. 



[67] 



PART V 



THE STORY OF THE OLD TESTA- 
MENT SCRIPTURES 

We are told that, in the beginning, God created the 
heaven and the earth; that the earth was without form 
and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; 
that the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, 
and God said, "Let there be Hght," and there was Hght, 
which God saw was good, and, dividing the light from 
the darkness. He called the light day and the darkness 
night; 

That, in the second day, God said, ''Let there be a 
firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide 
the waters from the waters;" that God made the firma- 
ment, dividing the waters which were under it from the 
waters which were above it, and called the firmament 
heaven ; 

That, in the third day, by speaking, God caused the 
waters under the heaven to be gathered together, unto 
one place, and the dry land to appear, calling the dry 
land earth and the waters seas; that, by speaking, God 
caused the earth to bring forth grass, herbs, and fruit 
trees, the herb yielding seed after its kind and the fruit 
tree yielding fruit after its kind and where the seed was in 
itself aftei; its kind, and saw that it was all good; 

[69] 



That, in the fourth day, God said, "Let there be Hghts 
in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the 
night and for signs, for seasons, for days and years, and 
for Hghts in the firmament of the heaven to give Hght 
upon the earth;" that God made two great Hghts, the 
greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night, 
and the stars also ; that these lights God set in the firma- 
ment of the heaven to give light upon the earth, to rule 
over the day and over the night, to divide the light from 
the darkness, and He saw that it was good; 

That, in the fifth day, God said, "Let the waters 
bring forth abundantly the moving creatures that have 
life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open 
firmament of heaven ;" that God created great whales and 
every living creature that moveth which the waters 
brought forth abundantly after their kind and every fowl 
after his kind, and, seeing that they were good. He blessed 
them saying, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters 
in the seas, and let the fowl multiply in the earth ;" 

That, in the sixth day, God said, "Let the earth bring 
forth the living creatures after his kind, the cattle and the 
creeping things and the beasts of the earth after his 
kind," and it was so; that God made the beast of the 
field after his kind, the cattle after their kind, and every 
thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and 
saw that it was good; 

That God said, "Let us make man in our image after 
our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish 
of the sea, the fowl of the air, the cattle, every creeping 
thing that creepeth upon the earth, and over all the 
earth;" that God created man in His image; that in the 
image of God created He man, male and female created 

[70] 



He them; that God blessed them, and said unto them, 
**Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, subdue 
it and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the fowl of 
the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon 
the earth, behold, I have given you every herb bearing 
seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every 
tree in which is the fruit of the tree yielding seed, to you 
it shall be for meat. To every beast of the earth, every 
fowl of the air, and every thing that creepeth upon the 
earth wherein there is life I have given every green 
herb for meat," and it was so ; that God saw every thing 
He had made and it was very good. 

It is stated, that thus, in six days, the heaven and the 
earth, and the hosts of heaven were finished; that God 
rested on the seventh day, and blessed and sanctified it 
because in it He had rested from all His work which He 
had created and made; that these were the generations of 
the heavens and the earth when they were created in the 
day that the Lord God made the earth and the heaven,. 
and every plant and herb of the field before it was in the 
earth or grew, for there was not a man to till the ground ; 
that the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the 
earth, and there went up a mist from the earth and 
watered the whole face of the ground. 

It is stated, that the Lord God formed man of the 
dust of the ground, breathed the breath of life into his 
nostrils, and he became a living soul ; that the Lord God 
planted a garden eastward in Eden, and the man he had 
formed He put there to dress and keep it; 

That, out of the ground, the Lord God made to grow 
every tree that was pleasant to the sight and good for 
food; that, out of the midst of the garden, he caused to^ 

[71] 



grow the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good 
and evil; that, to water the garden, a river went out of 
Eden and from thence it was parted and became into four 
heads : — Pison, which compasseth the whole land of 
Havilah, Gihon, which compasseth the whole land of 
Ethiopia ; Hiddekel, which goeth toward the east of 
Assyria, and Euphrates. 

It is recorded, that the Lord God commanded the man 
saying, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely 
eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil 
thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day thou eatest thereof 
thou shalt surely die." 

The Lord God said, 'Tt is not good that the man 
should be alone, I will make an helpmeet for him;" that, 
out of the ground, the Lord God formed every beast of 
the field and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto 
Adam to see what he would call them ; that Adam named 
the cattle, the fowl, and the beast of the field, but for 
Adam there was not found an helpmeet for him, and the 
Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, took 
one of Adam's ribs, out of which He made a woman and 
brought her unto the man; that when the woman was 
brought unto Adam he said, "This is now bone of my 
bone and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman be- 
cause she was taken out of man, therefore; shall a man 
leave his father and his mother and cleave unto his wife, 
and they shall be one flesh ;" that the man and the woman 
were both naked and were not ashamed. 

It is stated that the serpent was more subtile than 
any beast of the field; that the serpent said unto the 
woman, "yea, hath God said, 'Ye shall not eat of every 
tree of the garden?' " That the woman said unto the ser- 

[72] 



pent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, 
but, of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the 
garden God hath said, 'Ye shall not eat of it neither shall 
ye touch it least ye die ;' " that the serpent said unto the 
woman, "Ye shall not surely die, for God doth know that 
in the day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye 
shall be as gods, knowing good and evil ;" that, when the 
woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasant 
to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, 
she took of the fruit thereof and ate, and gave unto her 
husband with her and he did eat, and the eyes of each 
of them were opened and they knew that they were 
naked, and they sowed fig leaves together and made 
themselves aprons. 

It is related, that Adam and his wife, hearing the 
voice of the Lord God while walking in the garden in 
the cool of the day, hid themselves from his presence 
among the trees of the garden ; that the Lord God called 
unto Adam and said, "Where art thou?" That Adam 
said, "I heard thy voice in the garden and, because I 
was naked, was afraid and hid myself;" that the Lord 
God said, "Who told thee that thou wast naked, hast thou 
eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou 
shouldest not eat ?" that the man said, "The woman thou 
gavest to be with me she gave me of the tree and I did 
eat;" that the Lord God said, unto the woman, "What 
is this thou hast done?" that the woman said, "The ser- 
pent beguilded me and I did eat ;" that the Lord God said 
unto the serpent, "Because thou hast done this thou 
art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the 
field, upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat 
all the days of thy life, I will put enmity between thee 

[73] 



and the woman and between thy seed and her seed ;" that, 
unto the woman, He said, "I will greatly multiply thy 
sorrows and thy conception, in sorrow thou shalt bring 
forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband and 
he shall rule over thee;" that, unto Adam, He said, 
"Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife 
and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee 
saying, Thou shalt not eat of it,' cursed is the ground 
for thy sake and in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days 
of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to 
thee and thou shalt eat the herb of the field, and in the 
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread until thou return 
unto the ground, for dust thou art and unto dust shalt 
thou return." 

It is stated, that Adam called his wife's name Eve 
because she was the mother of all living; that the Lord 
God made coats of skins and clothed Adam and his wife ; 
that the Lord said, "Behold, the man is become as one 
of us, to know good and evil, and now, lest he put forth 
his hand and take also of the tree of life, eat, and live 
forever, I will send him forth from the garden of Eden 
to till the ground from whence he was taken;" that God 
sent Adam forth from the garden of Eden to till the 
ground from whence he was taken, and placed, at the 
east of the garden of Eden, cherubims and a flaming 
sword which turned every way to keep the way of the 
tree of life. 

Adam to Noah 

To Adam, Eve bear a son saying, 'T have got a man 
from the Lord," and they named him Cain. She again 
bear his brother who they named Abel. Cain became a 
tiller of the ground and Abel became a keeper of sheep. 

[74] 



In process of time, it came to pass that Cain brought, 
of the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord and 
Abel brought, of the firstling of his flock and of the fat 
thereof, an offering unto the Lord. The Lord had 
respect unto Abel and to his offering, but unto Cain and 
his offering the Lord had not respect and Cain was very 
wroth and his countenance fell. Cain talked with Abel 
his brother and it came to pass, when they were in the 
field, that Cain slew his brother Abel. 

When the Lord asked Cain for Abel his brother, 
Cain said, '*! know not, am I my brother's keeper?" The 
Lord said, ''What hast thou done?" The voice of thy 
brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground, and now 
art thou cursed from the earth which hath opened her 
mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. 
When thou tillest the ground it will not yield unto thee 
her strength, a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be 
in the earth." 

Cain said, unto the Lord, "My punishment is greater 
than I can bear ; every one that findeth me shall slay me ;" 
and the Lord said, unto Cain, "Therefore, whosoever 
slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold," 
and the Lord set a mark on Cain lest any finding him 
should slay him. 

Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and 
dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden, where his 
wife bear him a son whom they named Enoch, and where 
Cain built a city and called it Enoch after the name of 
his son. 

Lamech, the great great grandson of Enoch, took two 
wives, Adah and Zillah. Adah bear Jabal the father of 
such as dwell in tents and such as have cattle, and Jubal 

[75] 



the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. 
Zillah bear Tubal-Cain, an instructer of every artificer 
in brass and iron, and his sister Naamah. 

Adam's wife again bear a son whom she named Seth, 
saying, "God hath appointed me another seed instead of 
Abel whom Cain slew." To Seth there was born a son 
whom he named Enos. About this time men began to 
call upon the name of the Lord. 

Enos was the father of Cainan the father of 
Mahalaleel the father of Jared the father of Enoch the 
father of Methuselah the father of Lamech, and Lamech 
begat a son whom he called Noah, saying, "This same 
shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our 
hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed." 
Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 

Noah to the Call of Abram 

It came to pass, when men began to multiply on the 
face of the earth and daughters were born unto them, 
that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they 
were fair, and took them wives of all they chose. In 
those days, there were giants in the earth and the daugh- 
ters of men bear children to them who became the 
mighty men of old, men of renown. 

God saw that the wickedness of men in the earth was 
great and that every imagination of the thoughts of his 
heart was evil continually, and it repented the Lord that 
He had made man on the earth and grieved Him at His 
heart, and the Lord said, "My spirit shall not always 
strive with man for he also is flesh. I will destroy man 
whom I have created from off the face of the earth. I 
will destroy both man and beast, the creeping things, 

[76] 



and the fowl of the air for it repeneth Me that I have 
made them. Man's days shall be yet an hundred and 
twenty years." 

It is stated, that the earth was corrupt before God; 
that God looked upon it and saw that it was corrupt ; that 
all flesh had corrupted His way upon the earth except 
that Noah was a just man and perfect in his genera- 
tions, walking with God and finding grace in the eyes of 
the Lord: and God said, unto Noah, "The end of all 
flesh is come before me, and I will destroy them with the 
earth." 

Giving Noah directions for building an Ark, God said, 
"I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth to 
destroy all flesh wherein is the breadth of life from under 
heaven, and every thing that is in the earth shall die, 
but with thee will I establish my Covenant. Thou and 
thy family shall come into the Ark. Of every living thing 
of all flesh thou shall bring into the Ark, two of every 
sort, to keep them alive with thee. They shall be male 
and female after their kind. Thou shalt take into the 
Ark of all food that is eaten." It is stated that Noah did 
according to all that God commanded him. 

When the Ark was built, the Lord commanded that 
Noah with all his house should come into the Ark ; that of 
the clean beasts he should take by sevens, the male and the 
female; that of the beasts that were not clean he should 
take by twos, the male and his female ; that of the fowls 
of the air he should take by sevens, the male and the 
female, to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth : 
for yet seven days and God would cause it to rain upon 
the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living 
substance that He had made He would destroy from oflf 

[77] 



the face of the earth. It is stated, that Noah did accord- 
ing unto all that the Lord commanded him. 

It came to pass, after seven days, that all the foun- 
tains of the deep were broken up; that the windows of 
heaven were opened, and the rain fell upon the earth forty 
days and forty nights ; that the waters increased and pre- 
vailed, covering all the high hills and mountains, bearing 
and lifting up the Ark above the earth; and all flesh in 
whose nostrils was the breath of life died, and every 
living substance outside the Ark was destroyed. 

The waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and 
fifty days and abated, the Ark resting upon the moun- 
tain of Ararat. It is stated, that it came to pass, at the 
end of forty days, Noah sent iorth a raven which went 
forth to and fro until the waters were dried up from 
off the earth; that he also sent forth a dove, to see if 
the waters were abated from off the face of the earth, 
but the dove found no rest and she returned into the 
Ark; that, after another seven days, he sent forth the 
dove again and, in the evening, she came in unto him 
bearing in her mouth an olive leaf plucked off ; that after 
another seven days he sent forth the dove again and 
she did not return which indicated that the waters were 
abated : and Noah removed the covering of the Ark and, 
behold, the face of the ground was dry after being in 
the Ark one year and ten days, and God directed Noah 
to go forth out of the Ark and all that were with him. 

Noah built an altar unto the Lord and offered burnt 
offerings thereon, and the Lord, smelling a sweet savour, 
said, in his heart, "I will not again curse the ground for 
man's sake, for the imaginations of man's heart are evil 
from his youth, nor will I again smite every thing living 

[78] 



as I have done. While the earth remaineth seedtime 
and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and 
days and nights shall not cease." 

Blessing Noah and his sons, God said unto them, "Be 
fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth. The fear of 
you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the 
earth, fowl of the air, fish of the sea, and all that moveth 
upon the earth ; into your hand are they delivered and they 
shall be meat for you, but flesh with the life thereof, 
which is the blood thereof, ye shall not eat. Surely, your 
blood of your lives will I require at the hand of every 
beast and at the hand of every man. Whosoever shed- 
eth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed, for in the 
image of God made He man." 

God said, unto Noah and his sons, "I establish my 
Covenant, with you and your seed after you, and with 
every living creature that is with you, that neither shall 
all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood or 
any more flood to destroy the earth. This is the token 
of the Covenant for perpetual generations, I set My bow 
in the cloud and it shall be for a token of a Covenant 
between Me and the earth. It shall come to pass, when 
I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen 
in the cloud, and I shall remember My Covenant and the 
water shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh." 

It is stated, that, by the children of the sons of Noah, 
Shem, Ham and Japheth who went forth out of the Ark, 
the whole earth was over-spread ; that Ham was the fath- 
er of Canaan; that Noah became an husband man and 
planted a vineyard; that he drank of the wine, became 
drunk, and lay uncovered in his tent ; that Ham the father 
of Canaan saw his father's nakedness and told his 

[79] 



brothers who were without the tent; that the brothers 
took a garment and, walking backward, covered their 
father's nakedness without seeing him; that Vv^hen Noah 
awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son 
had done to him, he said,"Cursed be Canaan, a servant of 
servants shall he be unto his brethren, and blessed be 
the Lord God of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant, 
God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the tents of 
Shem and Canaan shall be his servant." 

The sons of Japheth were, Gomer, Madai, Javan, 
Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras, by whose descendants were 
the Isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands, after his 
tongue, their families, and in their nations. 

The sons of Ham were, Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and 
Canaan. Nimrod was among the descendants of Ham 
and began to be a mighty one in the earth, a mighty 
hunter before the Lord. The beginning of his Kingdom 
Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. 
Out of the land of Shinar went forth Asshur and built 
Ninevah, Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen. Resen is a great 
city located between Ninevah and Calah. Philistim was 
among the descendants of Ham. 

Canaan begat Sidon, Heth, the Jebusite, the Amorite, 
the Girgasite, the Hivite, the Arkite, the Sinite, the Arvad- 
ite, the Zimarite, the Hamithite, and afterwards were the 
families of the Canaanites spread abroad. The border of 
the Canaanites was from Sidon as you come from Gerar 
unto Gaza going to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Ce- 
boim, even unto Lesha. 

Shem was the father of all the children of Eber. The 
sons of Shem were, Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and 
Aram. The dwelling of the descendants of Shem was 

[80] 



from Mesha as you go unto Sephar a mount of the east. 

By these famiHes and descendants of the respective 
sons of Noah were the nations divided in the earth after 
the flood. In the days of Peleg, the great grandson of 
Sherfi, the earth was divided. 

It is stated, that, the whole earth being of one speech, 
it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, they 
found a plain in the land of Shinar and dwelt there ; that, 
making brick for stone and slime for mortar, they said, 
"Let us build us a city, and a tower whose top may reach 
unto heaven, and thus make us a name lest we be scat- 
tered abroad upon the face of the whole earth;" 

That the Lord, coming down to see the city and tower 
the children of men were building, said, "The people are 
one, they all have one language, and this they begin to do. 
Nothing will be restrained from them which they have 
imagined, let us go down and confound their language 
that they may not understand one another's speech;" 
that the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon 
the whole face of the earth and they left off to build the 
city; that, because there the Lord confounded the lan- 
guage of all the earth and from thence He scattered them 
abroad upon the face of all the earth, the name of that 
city was called Babel. 

Arphaxad, the son of Shem, born two years after the 
flood, begat Salah the father of Eber, Eber begat Peleg 
the father of Rue, Rue begat Serug the father of Nahor, 
and Nahor begat Terah the father of Abram, Nahor, and 
Haran. Haran begat Lot and died, before his father 
Terah, in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. 
Abram took to wife one Sarai who was barren and had no 
children. Nahor took to wife Milcah the daughter of 

[81] 



Haram. Terah took Abram and Sarai his wife and Lot 
his grandson and moved to Haran in Canaan where 
Terah died. 

Abram and Abraham to Isaac 

At Haran, the Lord said unto Abram, "Get thee out 
of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy 
father's house unto a land that I will show thee, and I 
will make of thee a great nation and bless thee and make 
thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. I will 
bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee, 
and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." 

At the age of twenty-five years, Abram departed 
from Haran, taking his wife and Lot and all their house 
and substance, and passed thru the land of Canaan unto 
the place of Secham in the plain of Moreh, and the 
Canaanites were in the land. 

In the plain of Moreh, the Lord appeared unto Abram 
and said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land," and Abram 
there built an altar unto the Lord that appeared unto him. 
From the plain of Moreh, Abram moved to a mountain 
on the east of Beth-el and, building an altar, called upon 
the name of the Lord, and journeyed going on toward 
the south. 

There was a grievous famine in the land and Abram 
went down into Egypt to sojourn. It came to pass that, 
as they went, Abram said to his wife, "I know that thou 
art a fair woman to look upon, therefore, it will come to 
pass that the Egyptians, when they see thee, will kill me 
for thee ; say, I pray thee, thou art my sister that it may 
be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live be- 
cause of thee." 

[82] 



When the Egyptians saw that the woman was very- 
fair, they commended her before Pharaoh, and took her 
to his house. Pharaoh entreated Abram well for Sarai's 
sake, giving him sheep, oxen, asses, menservants, maid- 
servants, and camels. 

Because of Abram's wife, the Lord plagued Pharaoh 
and his house with great plagues. Pharaoh, calling 
Abram, rebuked him for the deception, restored Sarai, 
told Abram to take her and go his way, and, commanding 
his men concerning Abram sent him away with his wife 
and all that he had. 

Abram, being very rich now in cattle, silver, and gold, 
went up out of Egypt, journeyed to Beth-el where his tent 
had been at first, and called on the name of the Lord. 
Lot who was with him had flocks, herds, and tents, and, 
the land not being able to bear them that they might dwell 
together peaceably, there was strife between the herds- 
man of Abram and those of Lot. Abram said to Lot, 
''Let there be no strife between me and thee for we are 
brethren let us separate, choose thy way." 

Lot, choosing all the plain of Jordan, journeyed east 
and dwelt in the cities of the plain, pitching his tent 
toward Sodom where the men were wicked and sinners 
before the Lord exceedingly, and Abram dwelt in the land 
of Canaan. The Lord appeared and said unto Abram, 
"Lift up thine eyes and look in every direction for all 
the land thou seest I give to thee and thy seed forever. I 
will make thy seed as the dust of the earth. Arise and 
walk thru the land for I will give it to thee," and Abram 
came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is Hebron, 
and built there an altar unto the Lord. 

After these things, the word of the Lord came unto 

[83] 



Abram in a dream saying, "Fear not Abram, I am thy 
shield and thy exceeding great reward." Abram com- 
plained that he was childless; that the Stewart of his 
house was Eliezer of Damascus; that one born in his 
house was his heir: and the Lord said, "This shall not 
be thine heir but he that shall come forth out of thine own 
bowels shall be thine heir," and that his seed should be as 
the stars in heaven. Abram believed the Lord and the 
Lord counted it to him for righteousness, and said, "I 
am the Lord who brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees 
to give thee this land to inherit it. Know of a certainty, 
that thy seed shall be a stranger in the land that is not 
theirs, that they shall serve four hundred years, and the 
nation they serve will I judge, and, afterwards, they shall 
come out with great substance ; that in the fourth genera- 
tion, they shall come hither again : for the iniquity of the 
Amorites is not yet full. Thou shalt live to be a good old 
age and go to thy fathers in peace." 

In the same day, the Lord made a covenant with 
Abram, saying, "Unto thy seed have I given this lana 
from the river Egypt unto the great river Euphrates ;— 
the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perrizzites, 
Rephaims, Amorites, Canaanites, Gergasshites, and Jebus- 
ites. 

Because of her own barrenness, Sarai gave to Abram 
her handmaid, an Egyptian named Hagar, that she might 
obtain children by her. When Hagar conceived, she 
despised her mistress, and Sarai complained to Abram. 
Abram said, "Thy maid is in thy hand, do to her as it 
pleaseth thee." When Sarai dealt hardly with Hagar, 
Hagar fled and was found, by an angel of the Lord, by 
a fountain of water in the wilderness. The angel said 

[84] 



unto Hagar, "Return to thy mistress and submit thyself 
to her, and I will multiply thy seed exceedingly. Thy 
seed shall not be numbered for multitude. Thou shalt 
bear a son and shall call his name Ishmael, because the 
Lord has heard thy affliction. He shall be a wild man 
whose hand shall be against every man and every man's 
hand shall be against him, and he shall dwell in the pres- 
ence of all his brethren." When Abram was eighty-six 
years old, Hagar bear him a son and they called his name 
Ishmael. 

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord 
appeared unto him and said, 'T am the Almighty God! 
Walk before me and be thou perfect and I will make my 
Covenant between me and thee, and I will multiply thee 
exceedingly. My Covenant is with thee, and thou shalt 
be a father of many nations. Thy name shall be called 
no more Abram but thy name shall be Abraham for a 
father of many nations have I made thee. I will make 
thee exceeding fruitful, make nations of thee, and kings 
shall come out of thee. I will be a God unto thee and to 
thy seed after thee, and will give unto thee and to thy 
seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger. I 
will give unto thee all the land of Canaan for an ever- 
lasting possession, and be their God if thou and thy seed 
after thee shall keep My Covenant in their generations." 

"Every man-child among you shall be circumcised 
in the flesh of the foreskin and it shall be a token of the 
Covenant betwixt Me and you. He that is eight days 
old among you shall be circumcised, and every man-child 
in your generation and he that is born in the house or 
bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy 
seed must needs be circumcised, and My Covenant shall 

[85] 



be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant ; and the soul 
of the man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not cir- 
cumcised shall be cut off from his people for he hath 
broken My Covenant. As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt 
not call her name Sarai but Sarah shall be her name, 
and I will bless her and give thee a son by her also. She 
shall be a mother of nations, and kings of people shall 
be of her." 

Abraham desiring that Ishmael might live before him, 
God said, "Sarah shall bear thee a son indeed and thou 
shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish My Cov- 
enant with him and his seed after him for an everlasting 
covenant. As for Ishmael, I have blessed him, and I 
will make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly. He 
shall beget twelve princes and I will make him a great 
nation but My Covenant I will establish with Isaac." It 
is stated, that Abraham circumcised Ishmael and every 
male in his house. 

In the heat of the day, Abraham was sitting in the 
door of his tent in the plane of Mamre and three men, 
angels of the Lord, approached and stood by his side. 
Abraham received and refreshed them with food and 
water. They asked for Sarah and said, ''Sarah thy wife 
shall have a son. According to the time of life, I will 
return unto thee and Sarah shall have a son." Sarah was 
within the tent and, hearing the saying, she laughed within 
herself. After these things the men rose up and went 
toward Sodom. 

The Lord said to Abraham, ''Because the cry of 
Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very 
grievous, I will go down and see whether they have done 
altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto 

[86] 



Me and if not I will know." Abraham stood before the 
Lord and pled for Sodom's salvation, if even ten right- 
eous persons be found therein, and the Lord said, He 
would spare the place if even ten righteous were found 
therein. 

In the evening. Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom 
and two angels came to Sodom who he pursuaded to 
turn into his house for the night. Before they lay down 
for the night, the men of the city, young and old, com- 
passed the house round and demanded of Lot, to know 
where the men were that came in unto him that night, 
and, that he bring them out that the people might know 
them. Knowing the intentions of the men of the city 
and desiring to protect his host. Lot went out and, think- 
ing to satisfy the men of the city, he offered his two 
daughters, whom he said had not known man, to them lo 
be done with as might seemeth good in their eyes. The 
men without, rejecting Lot's offer, said of Lot, ''This 
one fellow came in to sojourn and he will needs be a 
judge, now will we deal worse with him than with them," 
and the angels reached out, rescued Lot, and smote them 
at the door with blindness. 

After these things, the angels directed Lot to bring 
out of the city whatsoever he had, for they would de- 
stroy it as they had been sent to do. Lot tarried, to pur- 
suade his sons-in-law to flee the city, and the angels 
hastened him, his wife, and two daughters, lest they be 
consumed in the iniquity of the city, and told them, 
to hasten for their lives, not to look behind them nor 
stay in all the plains, but to escape to the mountain, lest 
they be consumed. Lot protested, that some evil might 
take him and he die, and he was permitted to escape to 

[87] 



a little city near by which because thereof was called 
Zoar. In the flight, Lot's wife, contrary to the instruc- 
tions of the angels, looked back from behind Lot and 
she became a pillar of salt. It is stated, "the Lord 
rained out of heaven brimstone and fire upon Sodom and 
Gomorrah, overthrowing them and the plain with all the 
inhabitants thereof, and destroying that which grew upon 
the ground." 

Early in the morning, Abraham went up to the place 
where he had stood before the Lord and, looking toward 
Sodom and Gomorrah, beheld the smoke going up from 
the country as the smoke of a furnace. 

It is related, that Lot feared to dwell in Zoar and, 
taking his two daughters, went and dwelt in a cave in 
the mountain; that his first born daughter said unto the 
younger, "Our father is old and there is not a man in all 
the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the 
earth. Come let us make our father drink wine and lie 
with him that we may preserve seed of our father;" 
that they made him drink wine and that night lay with 
him, but he perceived not when they lay down nor when 
they arose, and became with child of their father; that 
the first born, had a son and called his name Moab and 
he became the father of the Moabites; that the younger 
bear a son, called his name Ben-ammi, and he became 
the father of the children of Ammon. 

Abraham journeyed from the plain of Mamre toward 
the south country and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur 
in Gerar. Abraham, here again through fear, said of 
his wife, Sarah, "She is my sister," and Abimelech, king 
of Gerre, sent and took her, but before Abimelech had 
touched her, God warned him that she was a man's wife, 

[88] 



and he pled with the Lord that Abraham had said that 
she was his sister and that she had said of Abraham that 
he was her brother; that it was in the integrity of his 
heart and innocency of his hands that he had done this. 

In a dream, God excused Abimelech and told him to 
restore the man his wife; that he was a prophet and 
would pray for him and he should live. When Abime- 
lech had called Abraham and reproached him severely 
for the deception, Abraham gave as an excuse that he 
feared they would slay him for her sake, and said: 
"Yet, indeed, she is my sister; she is the daughter of my 
father but not the daughter of my mother, and she be- 
came my wife;" that she had said he was her brother 
at his request as a kindness unto him; that Abimelech 
gave unto Abraham sheep, oxen, manservants, and maid- 
servants, and restored to him his wife, Sarah, and said, 
"My land is before thee, dwell where it pleaseth thee;" 
and unto Sarah, he said, "I have given thy brother a 
thousand pieces of silver, he is to thee a covering of the 
eyes unto all that are with thee and all others," thus 
reproving her. 

Because of Sarah, Abraham's wife, the Lord had 
afflicted the house of Abimelech, and Abraham prayed 
unto God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his 
maidservants and they bear children. 

After this, the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and 
she bear Abraham a son in his old age, and said, "God 
hath made me to laugh so that all that hear will laugh 
with me." They called his name Isaac and circumcised 
him. The child grew and was weaned. 

The day Isaac was weaned, Abraham made a great 
feast and Sarah, seeing Ishmael the son of Hager mock- 

[89] 



ing, required Abraham to cast out Hagar and her son, 
saying, "The son of this bondwoman shall not be heir 
with my son even with Isaac." This was very grievous 
in Abraham's sight, but God told Abraham, to do all 
that Sarah had said unto him for in Isaac should his 
seed be called; that also of the son of the bondwoman 
he would make a Nation because he was his seed. 

In the morning, Abraham, taking bread and a bottle 
of water and placing them upon Hagar's shoulder with 
the child, sent her away. She wandered in the wilder- 
ness of Beer-sheba until the water was spent and, casting 
the child under a shrub, sat down a good way off that 
she might not see the death of the child, and wept. God 
heard the voice of the child, and an angel said unto 
Hagar, ''Fear not for God has heard the voice of the 
lad where he is. Arise and lift up the lad and hold him 
in thine hand for I will make him a great nation." God 
opened her eyes and, seeing a well of water, she filled 
the bottle and gave the lad to drink. 

It is stated, that God was with the lad ; that he grew, 
dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, and became an archer ; 
that his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt. 

It came to pass, that Abimelech requested and Abra- 
ham swear unto Abimelech not to deal falsely unto Abim- 
elech, his sons, or his son's son but according to the 
kindness Abimelech had done unto Abraham. 

The servants of Abimelech took from Abraham a well 
of water, Abraham reproved Abimelech, and he restored 
the well and witnessed that Abraham had dug the well; 
wherefore, and because there both of them swear, he 
called the place Beer-sheba. Abraham planted a grove in 



[90] 



Beer-sheba, and there called on the name of the Lord 
the everlasting God. 

To prove Abraham, God told him to take Isaac to a 
certain mountain in the land of Moriah and offer him as 
a burnt offering. On arriving at the mountain Isaac, 
recognizing the preparations, asked his father, v^here 
was the offering, and Abraham said, God would provide 
the sacrifice. When they had prepared the Altar and 
Abraham was about to offer Isaac as directed, an angel, 
staying Abraham's hand, showed him a ram caught by 
his horns in the thicket which Abraham was directed to 
offer in the place of his son, Isaac ; and God said, 
"Because thou hast obeyed my voice, by myself I have 
sworn that, in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiply- 
ing I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven 
and as the sand which is upon the sea shore. Thy seed 
shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy seed 
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed :" and Abra- 
ham returned to Beer-sheba and dwelt there. 

After these things, it was told to Abraham that, 
Milcah had born children unto his brother Nahor : — Huz, 
Buz, Kennel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Phil- 
dash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel who begat Rebekah; and that 
Nahor's concubine Reumah bear him Tebah, Geham, 
Thahash, and Maachah. 

Sarah died in Kirjath-arba, Hebron, in the land of 
Canaan at the age of one hundred twenty-seven years, 
and Abraham purchased from Ephron the son of Zohar 
the Hittite, through the children of Heth, the field of 
Ephron in Machpelah before Mamre, with the cave 
therein and all the trees in and around the borders there- 
of, where he buried Sarah. 

[91] 



Becoming old and well stricken in years, Abraham 
had brought, from his own country and his father's 
house, Rebekah the daughter of Bethuel the son of Mil- 
cah the wife of his brother Nahor and she became the 
wife of Isaac. Isaac loved Rebekah and she comforted 
him after his mother's death. 

It is related, that when Rebekah was departing from 
her father's house they blessed her, and said, "Thou 
art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of mil- 
lions and let thy seed possess the gate of those that hate 
thee." 

Afterwards, Abraham took to wife Keturah and she 
bear him Zimran, Jakshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and 
Shuah. Jakshan begat Sheba and Dedan. The sons ot 
Medan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leumnim. The 
sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidiah, 
and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 

While living eastward, Abraham had given gifts to 
the sons of his concubines and sent them away, and now 
he gave all that he had to Isaac. 

Abraham lived to a good old age — an hundred sev- 
enty-five years — and was old and full of years when he 
gave up the ghost, died, and was gathered to his people. 
His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of 
Machpelah where Sarah his wife was buried. It came 
to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed 
Isaac and he dwelt by the well Lahai-roi. 

Ishmael lived one hundred thirty-seven years and 
gave up the ghost and was gathered unto his people. His 
sons, by their names according to their generations, were 
Nebajoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Mas- 
sa, Hadar, Tuna, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. They 

[92] 



were twelve princes according to their nations and these 
were their names by their towns and their castles. The Ish- 
maelites dwelt from Havilah unto Shur that is before 
Egypt as you go toward Assyria. Ishmael died in the 
presence of all his brethren. 

Isaac to Jacob 

Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the 
daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Pedan-aram and a 
sister to Laban the Syrian, to wife. Rebekah being 
barren, Isaac entreated the Lord for her and she con- 
ceived. The children struggling together in her womb, 
the Lord said unto her, "Two nations are in thy womb, 
and two manner of people shall be separated from thy 
bowels ; the one people shall be stronger than the other, 
and the elder shall serve the younger." 

It came to pass, that, at the delivery, there were 
twins in Rebekah's womb; that the first came out red, 
all over like a hairy garment, and they called his name 
Esau; that, afterwards, Esau's brother came out, took 
hold of Esau's heel, and his name was called Jacob ; and 
that Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah bear Esau 
and Jacob. It is stated, that the boys grew that Esau 
was a cunning hunter and a man of the field, and Jacob 
was a plain man dwelling in tents ; that Isaac loved Esau 
because he ate of his venison but Rebekah loved Jacob; 
that Jacob sod pottage and Esau, coming in from the 
field faint, said unto him, "Feed me I pray thee with the 
same red pottage for I am faint," (Therefore, Esau's 
name was called Edom) and Jacob said, "Sell me this 
day thy birthright," and Esau said, "I am at the point 
to die what profit shall this birthright do to me," and 

[93] 



Jacob said, "Swear to me this day," and Esau swear 
unto Jacob and sold him his birthright; that Jacob gave 
Esau bread and pottage of Lintiles ; and Esau ate, drank, 
rose up, and went his way; that thus Esau despised his 
birthright. 

There was a famine in the land and Isaac, being 
minded to go down into Egypt, went to Gerar — unto 
Abimelech king of the Philistines — where the Lord ap- 
peared unto him, and said, "Go not down into Egypt 
but dwell in the land which I will tell thee of and I will 
be with thee for unto thee and thy seed I will give all of 
these countries and perform the oath which I swear unto 
Abraham thy father; — "In thy seed shall all the nations 
of the earth be blessed," because Abraham obeyed My 
voice, kept My charge and commandments, and My 
statutes and Law." 

It is related, that Isaac dwelt in Gerar and the men 
of that place asked him concerning his wife Rebekah 
who was fair to look upon; that Isaac, fearing the men 
of that place would kill him for Rebekah, said, "She is 
my sister ;" that, when Isaac had been there a long time, 
Abimelech, seeing Isaac sporting with Rebekah, charged 
Isaac that she was his wife; that Isaac, confessing the 
truth, gave as his reason for saying, she was his sister, 
that he feared they would kill him for Rebekah, and 
Abimelech, after reproving Isaac severely, charged all 
his people, not to touch either Isaac or his wife under 
penalty of death; 

That Isaac sowed in that county and reaped an hun- 
dred fold the same year; that he waxed great, went for- 
ward, and grew until he became very great in flocks, 



[94] 



herds, and servants, and the Philistines, fearing him, 
filled all the wells which Abraham had dug. 

At Abimelech's request, Isaac moved into the valley 
of Gerar where he dug again the wells of his father 
Abraham and found a well of springing water for which 
the herdsmen of Gerar strove, claiming the water, and 
he called the well Esek because they strove with him. 
Digging a second well, the herdsmen strove for that also, 
and he called the name of it Sitnah. He removed, dug 
another well, and named it Rehoboth; for now the Lord 
had made room for them and they would be fruitful 
in the land. 

Moving from Gerar to Beer-sheba, where the Lord 
appeared unto him, he built an altar and called upon the 
name of the Lord. Abimelech came to Isaac at Beer- 
sheba and they made a peace covenant. 

When Esau was forty years old, he took to wife 
Judith the daughter of Beeri and Bashemath the daugh- 
ter of Elom, two Hittite women, which was a grief of 
mind of Isaac and Rebekah. 

It is related, that, when Isaac was old and his eyes 
were dim so that he could not see, he requested Esau 
to procure some venison, make him savory meat such 
as he loved, and bring it to him that he might eat and 
his soul bless Esau before he died; 

That Rebekah, hearing this and telling Jacob, had 
Jacob bring her two kids of the goats from which she 
prepared savory meat such as his father loved, and, 
preparing Jacob to appear as Esau by putting the skins 
of the kids upon his hands and neck, she sent Jacob in 
unto his father, professing to be Esau, to procure the 



[95] 



blessing intended for Esau; that Isaac, being deceived, 
gave to Jacob the blessing intended for Esau. 

It is stated, that, when Jacob came in unto Isaac, 
Isaac said, "Art thou my very son Esau?" That Jacob 
said, "I am," and Isaac ate of the venison, drank of 
the wine, and requested Esau (Jacob) to come near and 
kiss him; that Jacob came near to his father and kissed 
him, and Isaac, smelhng the smell of his raiment, blessed 
him saying, "The smell of my son is the smell of a field 
which the Lord has blessed, therefore, may God give 
thee of the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth 
and plenty of corn and wine; let people serve thee and 
nations bow down to thee; be lord over thy brethren 
and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee; and cursed 
be every one that curseth thee and blessed be he that 
blesseth thee." 

Esau, returning from his hunt, prepared savory meat 
such as his father liked and went in unto his father, and 
learning what had been done, cried bitterly and said, "O 
my father, bless me also!" and Isaac said, "Thy brother 
hath taken away thy blessing;" and Esau said, "Is not 
he rightly named Jacob ? for he hath supplanted me these, 
two times, he took away my birthright and now he has 
taken away my blessing: hath thou not reserved a bless- 
ing for me?" and Jacob said, "I have made him thy 
Lord, all his brethren have I given to him for servants, 
and with corn and wine have I sustained him; what 
shall I do now for thee my son?" and Esau said, "Hast 
thou but one blessing my father ? bless me, even me also, 
O my father !" and he wept ; and Isaac said unto Esau, 
"Thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth and of 
the dew of heaven from above, and by the sword shalt 

[96] 



thou live and serve thy brother. It shall come to pass, 
when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break 
his yoke from off thy neck." 

It is stated, that Esau hated Jacob and said in his 
heart, ''The days of mourning for my father are at hand, 
when they are over I will slay my brother Jacob;" that 
Rebekah, hearing the words of Esau and telling Jacob, 
sent him to her brother Laban of Haran to stay a few 
days until Esau's anger turned away and he had forgot- 
ten what had been done to him. 

Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and charged him, not 
to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan but to go to 
Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel his mother's father, 
and take a wife of the daughters of Laban his mother's 
brother and God Almighty would bless him, make him 
fruitful, and multiply him; that he might be a multitude 
of people and receive the blessing of Abraham and in- 
herit the land wherein he was a stranger which God 
gave unto Abraham. He blessed Jacob and sent him 
unto Laban in Padan-aram. 

When Esau knew of Isaac blessing Jacob and his 
charge to take a wife from the house of Bethuel his 
mother's father and that the daughter of Canaan pleased 
him not, he went unto Ishmael and took to wife Maha- 
lath the daughter of Ishmael and the sister of Nebajoth. 

We learn, from the thirty-fifth chapter of Genesis, that 
Isaac lived to be one hundred and four score years old, 
until Jacob, after many years, returned with his wives, 
children, and much substance from Padan-aram to him 
in Mamre, and, "being old and full of days, he gave up 
the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people; 
and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him." 

[97] 



Jacob to the Call of Moses 

Jacob, going from Beer-sheba toward Haran, tarried 
at a place all night and, lying down to sleep, with his 
head upon a pillow of stones, he dreamed of a ladder 
set up on earth, the top of which reached to heaven, 
upon which angels of God ascended and decended, and 
the Lord, standing above the ladder, said, "I am the 
Lord God of Abraham and the God of Isaac thy father, 
the land whereon thou liest I will give to thee and to thy 
seed. Thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and 
in thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be 
blessed. I am with thee and will keep thee in all places 
thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land for f 
will not leave thee until I have done that which I have 
spoken to thee of." 

Awakening, Jacob said, ''Surely the Lord is in this 
place and I knew it not," and, being afraid, he said. 
"How dreadful is this place, this is none other but the 
house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Setting 
up the stone of his pillow for a pillar and pouring oil 
upon the top of it, he called the name of that place 
Beth-el, but the name of that city was called Luz at the 
first. Jacob vowed a vow, saying, "If God will be with 
me so that I come again to my father's house in peace, 
then shall the Lord be my God, and this stone, which I 
have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house," and he 
went on his journey. 

Coming into the land of the east, he beheld a well 
in the field with a great stone over its mouth which, when 
the flocks gathered the herdsmen removed to water the 
stock, and the herdsmen and three flocks of sheep were 
lying about. Jacob asking the herdsmen, from whence 

[98] 



they were and if they knew Laban, they said, they were 
of Haran; that they knew Laban; and that Rachel his 
daughter cometh with Laban's sheep." 

When Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, Jacob 
removed the stone from the well's mouth and watered 
her flock, kissed her and wept. When Jacob told Rachel, 
who he was and from whence he came, she ran home 
and told her father, and Jacob was received into Laban's 
house where he abode for the space of a month. 

Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Leah 
was tender eyed but Rachel was beautiful and well fav- 
ored. Jacob loved Rachel, and made a contract with 
Laban, to serve him seven years for her. 

When Jacob had served the seven years, he asked for 
Rachel but Laban took Leah in unto him, Jacob did not 
discover the deception until the next morning when he 
complained to Laban, that he had beguiled him. Laban 
explained to Jacob that, in that country they could not 
give the younger before the firstborn; that if he would 
fulfil her week he would give him Rachel also for seven 
more years' service ; and Jacob, fulfiling Leah's week, 
received Rachel to wife also but he loved Rachel more 
than Leah. 

It is stated, that the Lord, seeing that Leah was 
hated, made her to bear and Rachel barren; that Leah 
bear four sons to Jacob, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and 
Judah, and left off bearing; that Rachel, envying her 
sister, said unto Jacob, "Give me children or else I die;" 
that Jacob became angry, and Rachel gave him Bilhah 
her handmaid to wife, and she bear Jacob, Dan and 
Naphtali ; that, when she saw that she had left off bear- 
ing, Leah gave to Jacob as wife Zilpah her maid who 

[99] 



bare him Gad and Asher, and, afterwards, with her son 
Reuben's mandrakes, Leah purchased Jacob from Rachel 
to lie with her and she bear him Issacher, Zebulum, and 
a daughter they named Dinah; and that Rachel went 
to the Lord in prayer, asking that she be made to bear, 
and she was remembered by the Lord and bear a son to 
Jacob whose name they called Joseph. 

When Joseph was born, Jacob asked Laban to send 
him away and Laban, having prospered exceedingly 
under Jacob's management, desired Jacob to stay, offer- 
ing him any wages he might appoint. Jacob, passing 
thru Laban's flocks, separated and removed to themselves 
all the speckled, spotted, and brown cattle, sheep, and 
goats and said, *'of such shall be my hire," to which 
Laban agreed. Jacob removed the flocks he had sepa- 
rated three days' journey away and, giving the separated 
flocks into the hand of his son, continued to feed the 
rest of Laban's flocks. 

It is related, Jacob gathered rods of green poplar, 
hazel, and chestnut, pilled streaks in them, making the 
white in them appear, and set the rods in the gutters 
and watering troughs before the flocks; that, when the 
flocks came and gathered about the gutters and watering 
troughs to drink, they conceived before the rods and 
bear cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted which Jacob 
would separate and place by themselves for his hire, 
thereby, becoming exceedingly rich in cattle, maid serv- 
ants, manservants, camels, and asses. 

Hearing the sons of Laban complain that he had 
taken away all that was their father's and thus got his 
glory and seeing that the countenance of Laban was not 
toward him as before and the Lord having said to him, 

[100] 



^'Return unto the land of thy fathers to thy kindred and 
I will be with you," Jacob made known to Rachel and 
Leah their father's displeasure and related to them, how 
their father had deceived him and changed his wages ten 
times, how God had taken away the cattle of their father 
and gave them to him, how in a dream he lifted up his 
eyes and saw that the rams that leaped the cattle were 
ringstreaked, speckled, and grizzled, and heard an angel 
saying, "For I have seen all that Laban doeth to thee, 
I am the God of Beth-el where thou anointed the pillar 
and vowed a vow unto Me, arise, get thee out of this 
land, and return unto the land of thy kindred." 

Hearing these things, Rachel and Leah said unto 
Jacob, "Is there yet any portion or inheritance in our 
father's house for us? He having sold us, are we not 
counted as strangers by him? All the riches which God 
has taken from our father is ours and our children's : 
therefore, whatsoever God has said unto thee do." After 
these things, Jacob prepared all the cattle and goods he 
had gotten in Padan-aram to go to his father in the land 
of Canaan and, when Laban went away to shear his 
sheep, Jacob unawares stole away with his house and 
substance and passed over the river toward Mount 
Gilead, Rachel taking with her the images which were her 
father's. 

On the third day, Laban discovered that Jacob had 
departed and, pursuing for seven days, overtook him in 
the Mount Gilead. While in the pursuit, by means of a 
dream, God had warned Laban about his speech to Jacob 
and Laban reproved Jacob for foolishly stealing away 
unawares, and asked, why he has stolen his gods? Not 
knowing that Rachel had stolen the images, Jacob said, 

[101] 



"With whomsoever you find the gods let him not Hve." 
Rachel hid the images in the camel's furniture and sat 
upon the furniture. When her father came thru her 
tent, looking for his gods, Rachel excused herself, on 
account of sickness, and, remaining seated upon the 
camel's furniture, prevented her father finding the gods 
among them. 

Laban failing to find his gods among them, Jacob 
chode with him and they made a covenant to witness 
between them. Jacob took a stone and set it up for a 
pillar and his brethren took stones and made a heap to 
witness that neither would pass over it to the other for 
harm. Laban named the heap Jegar-sabadutha and 
Jacob called it Galeed. They ate upon the heap, called 
upon God to judge between them, and tarried in the 
Mount all night. The next morning Laban, kissing his 
sons and daughters and blessing them, departed unto his 
place, and Jacob went on his way. Jacob was met by an 
angel of God who said, "This is God's Host," and Jacob 
called the name of that place Mahaniam. 

In coming into the land of Seir the country of Edom 
Jacob, remembering the wrath of Esau and fearing him, 
sent messengers ahead with a great present for Esau 
and information about Jacob's great power and sub- 
stance, thinking to appease and thus find grace in the 
sight of Esau. The messengers returned and reported 
that Esau was coming with four hundred men to meet 
Jacob. Jacob's fear of Esau caused him much distress 
on receipt of this news and he prayed with humility to, 
"the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the Lord 
which had talked to him," for deliverance from the hand 



102] 



of Esau, lest he might smite him and the mothers with 
the children. 

It is related, that Jacob moved his wives, children, 
and all that he had over the ford Jabbok and lodged 
there alone that night; that there came a man who wres- 
tled with Jacob until the break of the day; that, when the 
man saw that he prevailed not against Jacob, he touched 
the hollow of Jacob's thigh and it was out of joint as he 
wrestled with him; that the man said, "Let me go for 
the day breaketh," and Jacob said, "I will not let thee go 
except thou bless me;" that the man asked Jacob his 
name and, on being told, said, "Thy name shall be called 
no more Jacob but Israel, for as a prince hast thou power 
with God and with men and hast prevailed," and he 
blessed Jacob. Calling the name of that place Peniel, 
Jacob said, "For I have seen God face to face and m.y 
life is preserved;" that as Jacob passed over Peniel the 
sun rose upon him and he halted upon his thigh, there- 
fore, the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which 
shrank which is upon the hollow of the thigh. 

When Jacob saw Esau coming, he passed over and 
bowed himself to the ground seven times and Esau, run- 
ning, met Jacob, fell upon his neck and kissed him, and 
they wept. When Esau asked and was told, what meant 
all the droves he met, he said, he had enough, but finally, 
to satisfy Jacob, he accepted the gift and asked Jacob to 
proceed with him, but Jacob said, he would have to 
proceed on slowly on account of the children and the 
young in the herds and to prevent loss, and would 
come unto him, unto Seir, without assistance, and Esau 
returned that day on his way to Seir. 

Jacob journeyed unto a place he named Succoth, 

[103] 



building him an house and booths for his cattle. He 
came to Shalem a city of Shechem in the land of Canaan, 
bought a piece of land of the children of Hamor the 
father of Shechem before the city of Shechem, where 
he pitched his tent and erected an altar, calling it El- 
elohe-Israel. 

It is related, that Dinah the daughter of Leah went 
out to see the daughters of the land and Shechem the 
Hivite prince of the country lay with and defiled her; 
that Shechem, loving Dinah and wanting her for his 
wife, offered to do anything which Jacob and his sons 
might ask if he might have her to wife; that the sons 
of Jacob, answering Shechem deceitfully, persuaded him 
and he had every male of his people circumcised ; that on 
the third day, when Shechem's men were sore, Simeon 
and Levi, taking their swords, boldly slew all the males, 
including Hamor and Shechem, took Dinah, and spoiled 
their city, removing the sheep, oxen, asses, and all the 
wealth and taking all their wives and little ones captives. 
Fearing the inhabitants of the land would gather and 
slay him and his house, Jacob went to Beth-el to dwell 
and made there an altar unto the God that appeared 
unto him when he fled from the face of his brother Esau. 

At Beth-el and before making the altar, Jacob, say- 
ing he would make there an altar unto God who answered 
him in the day of his distress and was with him in the 
way he went, required his company to put away the 
strange gods that were among them and to change their 
garments and be clean, and he hid the gods which were 
in their hands and t'ae earrings which were in their ears 
under the oak which was by Shechem. 

The name oi the city in the land of Canaan where 

[104] 



Jacob came in his journey was Luz which is also called 
Beth-el. Beth-e! was the name given to the place where 
Jacob had his vision of the ladder, God's appearance to 
him, and where he erected a pillar, when he fled from the 
face of his brother Esau; and which place, after the 
making of the altar, Jacob called El-Beth-el, because 
there God appeared unto him when he fled from the face 
of his brother. 

As Jacob journeyed from Beth-el, Rachel travailed 
and gave birth to a son. As Rachel's soul was in de- 
parting, she called the name of her son Ben-oni, but 
Jacob named him Benjamin. Jacob buried Rachel's dead 
body in the way to Ephroth which is Bethlehem and 
set a pillar upon her grave. 

By his four wives, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah, 
Jacob had twelve sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, 
Issacher, and Zebulum the children of Leah, Joseph and 
Benjamin the children of Rachel, Dan and Naphtali the 
children of Bilhah, and Gad and Asher the children of 
Zilpah. Jacob journeyed and spread his tent beyond the 
tower of Edar and, it came to pass, Reuben lay with 
Bilhah his father's concubine, and Israel learned of it. 
After these things, Jacob came to his father Isaac at 
Mamre the city of Arbah which is Hebron where Abra- 
ham and Isaac sojourned. Isaac died at the age of an 
hundred eighty years and was buried by his sons Esau 
and Jacob. 

Esau was called Edom and he was the father of the 
Edomites in Mount Seir. He had three wives, Adah the 
Hittite, Bashemath the daughter of Ishmael and sister 
to Nebajoth, and Aholibamah the Hivite, by whom he 
had five sons, Eliphaz the son of Adah, Reuel the son of 

[ 105 ] 



Bashemath, and Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah the sons of 
Aholibamah all born in the land of Canaan, and Esau 
dwelt in Mount Seir. 

The sons of Eliphaz were, Teman, Omar, Zepho, 
Gatam, Kenoz, and Timna his concubine bear him Ama- 
lek. The sons of Reuel were, Nathan, Shammah, and 
Mizzah. The sons of Eliphaz and Reuel together with 
the three sons of Aholibamah were the twelve dukes de- 
scribed as the sons of Esau who was Edom. 

The sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land 
were Latan, Shabal, Zibeon, Anan, Dishon, Ezer, and 
Dishan. These were the dukes of the Horites in the land 
of Edom. Timna the concubine of Eliphaz was Latan's 
sister. 

The children of Latan were Hari and Heman. The 
children of Shabal were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, 
and Onam. The children of Zibeon were Ajah, and 
Anah who, as he fed the asses of his father, found the 
mules in the wilderness. The children of Anan were 
Dishon, and Aholibamah the wife of Esau. The chil- 
dren of Dishon the son of Seir were, Hemedan, Eshlan, 
Ithran, and Cheran. The children of Ezer were Bilhan, 
Zaavan, and Akan. The children of Dishan were, Uz 
and Aran. 

The kings that reigned in the land of Edom before 
there reigned any king over the children of Israel were, 
in their order, Bela the son of Beor and the name of his 
city was Dinhabah, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah, 
Husham of the land of Temani, Hadad the son of Hadad 
who smote Midian in the field of Moab and the name 
of his city was Avith, Samlah of Masrekah, Saul of 
Rehoboth by the river, Baal-hanan the son of Achbor, 

[106] 



Hadar and the name of his city was Pan, and the name 
of his wife was Mehetabel the daughter of Hatred the 
daughter of Mezanah. 

The dukes of Esau, according to their famiHes after 
their places by their names, were the dukes of Edom 
according to their habitations in the land of their pos- 
sessions. 

Jacob dwelt in the land of Canaan and Joseph was 
seventeen years old when he was feeding his father's 
flocks with his brethren the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah 
and brought unto his father their evil report. 

Israel loved Joseph more than all his children and 
made him a coat of many colors, a mark of distinction, 
which caused his brethren to hate him and not to speak 
peaceably unto him. 

Joseph dreamed a dream which he told to his breth- 
ren and they hated him all the more. He dreamed they 
were binding sheaves in the field ; that his sheaf arose 
and stood upright; and that their sheaves stood round 
about and made obeisance unto his sheaf. 

Joseph dreamed a second dream and told it to his 
brethren. He dreamed that the sun, the moon, and the 
eleven stars made obeisance unto him. He told this 
dream to his father and his father, rebuking him, said, 
''What is this dream that thou hast dreamed, shall I, 
thy mother, and thy brethren indeed come to bow down 
ourselves to thee to the earth?" Joseph's brethren hated 
him but his father observed the saying. 

After this, Joseph's brethren went to feed their fath- 
er's flocks in Shechem out of the vale of Hebron and 
Israel sent Joseph to Shechem to see how his brethren 

[ 107 ] 



and the flocks were getting along and to bring word. 
Joseph went and found them at Dathan. 

When the brethren saw Joseph afar off, they con- 
spired to slay him saying, "This dreamer cometh." Reu- 
ben, intending to save Joseph and deliver him to his 
father, took him from their hands and cast him in a pit, 
but his brethren, taking him from the pit and stripping 
him of his coat of many colors, sold him to a company 
of Ishmaelitish merchants who carried him down into 
Egypt and sold him to one Potiphar an officer of Pha- 
roah and captain of the guard. 

Joseph's brethren, to deceive their father, dipped his 
coat of many colors in the blood of a kid, brought it to 
their father, and told him they had found it. Israel, 
believing a beast had torn and devoured Joseph, mourned 
many days saying, *T w^ill go down into the grave mourn- 
ing." 

In Egypt, the Lord was with Joseph and he became 
a prosperous man. His master, seeing that the Lord was 
with Joseph and prospered him, made Joseph overseer 
over his house and all that he had. 

Joseph being a goodly and well favored person, his 
master's wife became enamored of him and, failing to 
seduce him, complained to her husband that Joseph was 
guilty of improper conduct toward her, and he impris- 
oned Joseph with the king's prisoners where he gained 
the confidence and favor of the keeper and was given 
charge of the prisoners. 

The king's chief butler and chief baker were prison- 
ers with Joseph and each had a dream which Joseph cor- 
rectly interpreted and, accordingly, the baker was slain 
and the butler restored to his position. 

[108] 



At the end of about two years, Pharaoh had a dream 
that troubled his spirit, and, after the magicians and wise 
men of Egypt had failed to interpret the dream, the but- 
ler remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh how he had 
correctly interpreted the dreams of himself and the chief 
baker. 

Pharaoh had Joseph brought before him and, relat- 
ing his dream to him, said, there were none in Egypt 
who could interpret the dream and that he had been 
told that he (Joseph) could understand dreams. Joseph 
interpreted the dream, that there would be seven years 
of great plenty thruout all Egypt followed by seven years 
of famine which would consume the land and be very 
grievous, and advised Pharoah that he should look out 
a man who was discreet and wise and set him over the 
land of Egypt to take up the fifth part in the seven plen- 
teous years to keep and preserve the land thru the famine. 

Pharoah, accepting Joseph's interpretation and being 
pleased with his advise, said, ''Can we find such a one as 
this is? A man in whom the spirit of God is," and 
Pharoah appointed Joseph to the position with full power 
and authority, reserving, only, that in the throne Pharoah 
should be greater than Joseph. 

Pharoah, placing his ring upon Joseph's hand, arrayed 
him in fine linen, pat a gold chain about his neck, and, 
making him to ride in the second chariot, they cried be- 
fore him, ''Bow the knee." 

Joseph was thirty years old and, Pharoah giving him 
the name of Zaphnath-paaneah, he went thru all the 
land performing his duties in the preparation for the 
famine. 

Pharoah gave Joseph Asenath the daughter of Pott- 

[109] 



phera the priest of On to wife and she bear him two sons 
before the years of the famine. His firstborn he named 
Manasseh saying, ''For God has made me forget all my 
toil and my father's house." His second son he named 
Ephraim saying, ''For God has caused me to be fruitful 
in the land of my affliction." 

The seven years of dearth came and was in all lands 
but in Egypt there was bread. Joseph opened all the 
storehouses and sold unto the Egyptians, and all coun- 
tries came into Egypt unto Joseph to buy corn. 

It came to pass that Israel sent his ten oldest sons 
down into Egypt unto Joseph to buy corn, keeping Ben- 
jamin the youngest at home for fear some evil might 
befall him, and the ten sons of Jacob, coming into Egypt 
unto Joseph to buy corn, bowed down before Joseph. 
Joseph knew them but, remembering his dream of them, 
made himself strange and, speaking roughly to them, 
charged them as spies. 

The sons of Jacob assured Joseph they were all breth- 
ren, the sons of one father and said, there were twelve 
brethren, that the youngest was with his father and one 
was not ; but Joseph, persisting that they were spies, told 
them that they would not be permitted to depart without 
the youngest brother was brought. 

Joseph had the ten sons of Jacob put in ward and 
after three days, he had Simeon bound to keep as an 
assurance that the youngest brother would be bought 
and sent the other nine to their home to take the corn 
and bring the youngest brother. Before their departure, 
Joseph had all their money placed in the mouths of their 
sacks and gave them provision for the day. 

When the nine sons of Jacob returned to their father 

[110] 



Israel, told him all that had happened, and found the 
money they had paid for the corn in their sacks, Israel 
was grieved, that Joseph was not, Simeon was not and, 
fearing to lose Benjamin, he refused to let him go down 
into Egypt. 

The food they had brought was consumed and it 
became necessary to return to Egypt for more corn but 
the boys would not return without the lad and Judah 
offered himself as surety for the lad's return to his father. 
Israel prepared a present for the governor of Egypt, gave 
them double money for fear the return of the money in 
the sacks was a mistake, and sent Benjamin with his 
nine brethren down into Egypt unto Joseph to buy more 
corn. 

When they came again into Egypt bringing Benjamin 
with them, Joseph entertained them at dinner in his own 
house without disclosing his identity; and, having 
their sacks filled and the money returned as before, he 
placed his silver cup in Benjamin's sack and sent them on 
their way. 

Soon after the brethren had parted, Joseph sent his 
steward after them, on pretense that they had taken his 
silver cup, and the steward, finding the cup in Benjamin's 
sack, brought them all back to the city. 

When Joseph heard his brethren's pitiful plea, he 
was not able longer to restrain himself and he made him- 
self known to them. He inquired about his father, their 
families, and substance, and arranged for them all to come 
with their substance into Egypt where he could care for 
them, showing great favor unto Benjamin. He provided 
wagons in which to bring their father, wives and children, 
sent a present to his father, and sent them home to bring 

[111] 



all they had into Egypt where they would be near him 
and he could nourish them. ' 

When they had returned and told their father about 
Joseph and all that had happened, he was overcome with 
joy, and they prepared and came into Egypt where Joseph 
settled them in the land of Goshen, the best of the land of 
Egypt. Joseph forgave his brethren for having sold 
him into Egypt saying,"God had sent him before them 
to preserve life, to preserve them a posterity in the earth, 
and to save their lives by a great deliverance ; that it was 
not them that had sent him hither but God; that God 
had made him a father unto Pharoah, lord of all his 
house, and a ruler thruout all the land of Egypt." 

When Israel departed to go down into Egypt, he 
journeyed to Beer-sheba and offered sacrifice unto the 
God of Isaac his father. In a vision of the night, God 
appeared unto Israel and said, "I am God, the God of 
thy father. Fear not to go down into Egypt for I will 
there make of thee a great Nation; I will go down with 
thee into Egypt, bring you up again, and Joseph shall put 
his hands upon thine eyes. 

Israel and all his seed, seventy souls, came into 
Egypt. The descendants of Leah were thirty-three, those 
of Zilpah were sixteen, those of Rachel were fourteen, 
and those of Bilhah were seven. Joseph had two sons in 
Egypt. 

Joseph went to Goshen and presented himself to his 
father with an affectionate greeting, gave them directions 
for their conduct before Pharaoh, and gave them pos- 
sessions in the land of Rameses the best of the land of 
Egypt where he nourished them. 

For seventeen years, Israel grew and multiplied ex- 

[112] 



ceedingly in Egypt and, being an hundred and forty-seven 
years old and realizing that he must soon die, he called 
Joseph and exacted an oath of him, that he would not 
bury him in Egypt, but carry him up and lay him with 
his fathers in their burying place. 

Afterwards, wdien he was told that his father was 
sick, Joseph took his two sons and went unto his father. 
Israel told Joseph what God in the vision at Luz in 
Canaan had promised him ; that Joseph's children in their 
inheritance would be called after the name of their 
brethren; that Rachel his mother died and was buried 
in the way of Ephroth, which is Beth-lehem. Israel 
kissed, embraced, and blessed Joseph's sons and, placing 
his right hand upon the head of Ephraim and his left 
hand upon the head of Manasseh, he said, ''They shall 
grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth." 

That Israel lay his right hand not on the head of 
Manasseh, the firstborn, displeased Joseph and Joseph 
sought to change Israel's hands, but Israel said, "Not so, 
Manasseh shall become a people and be great but truly 
his younger brother shall be greater than he and his seed 
shall become a multitude of nations." Thus Israel blessed 
the sons of Joseph and set Ephraim before Manasseh. 
Israel said that he would die but God would bring Joseph 
into the land of his fathers; that God had given Joseph 
one portion above his brethren which he had taken out 
of the hand of the Amorites. 

Israel, calling his sons before him, gave them his 
decree, saying/'Reuben my firstborn, my might and the 
beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and 
power, and unstable as water, shall not excel because he 
defiled my bed and couch; 

[113] 



"Simeon and Levi are brethren. Instruments of 
cruelty are in their habitation. My soul shall not come 
into their secrets, nor unto their assembly will my honor 
be united; for in their anger they slew a man, and in 
their selfwill they dragged down a wall. Cursed be their 
anger for it was fierce, and their wrath for it was cruel. 
I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel; 

"Judah is he who his brethren will praise. His hand 
shall be in the neck of his enemies, and his father's 
children shall bow down before him. He is a lion's 
whelp from the prey, going up, stooping down, and 
crouching as a lion, as an old lion. Who shall raise him 
up ? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah nor a law- 
giver from between his feet until Shiloh comes. Unto 
Judah shall the gathering of the people be, binding his 
foal unto the vine and his ass' colt unto the choice vine. 
He washes his garments in wine and his clothes in the 
blood of grapes. His eyes shall be red with wine and 
his teeth white with milk; 

"Zebulum shall dwell at the haven of the sea. He 
shall be for an haven of ships and his border shall be 
unto Zidon; 

"Issachar is a strong ass crouching down between two 
burdens. Seeing that rest is good and that the land is 
pleasant, he bows his shoulder to bear and becomes a 
servant unto tribute ; 

"Dan, as one of the tribes of Israel, will judge his 
people. He will be a serpent by the way, an adder in the 
path that biteth the horse heels so that his rider shall 
fall backward; 

"A troop shall overcome Gad, but he shall overcome at 
the last ; Asher's bread will be fat and he will yield royal 

[114] 



dainties; Naphtali is a hind let loose, he giveth goodly 
words ; 

"Joseph is a fruitful bough, growing by a well, whose 
branches run over the wall. The archers will surely grieve 
and hate him but his bow will abide in strength. The arm 
of his hands will be made strong, by the hands of the 
mighty God of Jacob from whence is the shepherd — ^the 
mighty stone of Israel, even by the God of his fathers who 
will help him, and by the Almighty who will bless him with 
the blessings of heaven above, the blessings of the deep 
that lieth under, the blessings of the beast, and the bless- 
ings of the womb. The blessings of his fathers have pre- 
vailed above the blessings of his pregenitors unto the 
utmost bounds of the everlasting hills and they will be on 
the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him who 
was separated from his brethren ; 

"Benjamin shall rave as a wolf. In the morning 
he will devour the prey, and at night he will divide the 
spoil." 

These are the words and blessings which Israel spoke 
and gave unto the twelve tribes of Israel, represented in 
the twelve sons of Jacob. 

Jacob said to his sons, that he was about to be gath- 
ered unto his people ; that they should bury him with his 
fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 
the field of Machpelah before Mamre in the land of 
Canaan which Abraham bought for a possession of a 
burying place; where they had buried Abraham and 
Sarah his wife, Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and he had 
buried Leah. 

Jacob yielded up the ghost, was gathered unto his 
people, and Joseph had his body embalmed. When forty 

[115] 



days were fulfilled for Jacob, Joseph and all the house of 
Israel, all the servants of Pharaoh going with them, went 
up to bury their father as he had said. They came to the 
threshingfloor of Atad beyond Jordan and mourned with 
great lamentation for seven days. The Canaanites, 
seeing their great lamentation, said, "It is a grievous 
mourning to the Egyptians," and they called the name of 
the place Abel-Mezraim. 

After burying their father, the children of Israel 
returned to Egypt and Joseph nourished them. Joseph 
lived to see Ephraim's children of the fourth generation 
and Manasseh's children of the second generation. 

When Joseph was an hundred and ten years old, he 
assured his brethren that God would visit them and 
bring them out of the land of Egypt unto the land which 
He swear unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, 
required an oath of the children of Israel that they 
would carry his bones up out of Egypt, and died. They 
embalmed the body of Joseph and put it in a coffin, in 
Egypt. 

After Joseph and all that generation had died and the 
Israelities had multiplied and become mighty so that 
the land was filled with them, there arose a nev/ king 
who knew not Joseph and, fearing the might of the 
Israelites, set taskmasters over them to afflict and oppress 
them, making their lives bitter with hard bondage in all 
manner of service. 

The strength of the Israelites continued to increase, 
and the king instructed the Hebrew midwives to put to 
death all the male children at their birth; but the mid- 
wives, fearing God, refused to carry out the king's com- 
mand. Not being able to control the midwives for the 

[116] 



destruction of the male Hebrew children, the king charged 
all his people, that every male child should be cast into 
the river. 

A man of the house of Levi had taken to wife a 
daughter of Levi who bear him a goodly child which 
they hid for three months ; and, when she could no longer 
hide him in this way, she made a water-tight basket, 
placed the child in it, and hid them among the flags in 
the river's brink, leaving her daughter to watch him. 

Pharaoh's daughter, while walking along the bank of 
the river, saw the basket among the flags and had her 
maids procure it for her. When she saw the babe, she 
had compassion on him and, unawares, sent the babe's 
sister, who had been instructed to call a Hebrew nurse for 
the child. The sister, called the child's mother, to whom 
Pharaoh's daughter delivered the child, to be nursed for 
her. 

The child grew and, when old enough, the mother 
brought the child unto Pharaoh's daughter and he be- 
came the child of Pharaoh's daughter, and, because she 
drew him out of the water, she named him Moses. 

When Moses was grown, he saw an Egyptian smiting 
one of his brethren and slew the Egyptian. This matter 
came to the knowledge of Pharaoh and he gave the order 
that Moses should be slain. This Moses avoided by flee- 
ing and dwelling in the land of Midian. 

When Moses was sitting by a well in Midian, the 
seven daughters of the priest of Midian came to water 
their father's flock. The shepherds standing against the 
daughters watering their flock, Moses stood against the 
shepherds and helped the daughters water their father's 
flock. The daughters told their father, Reuel, how Moses 

[117] 



helped them water the flock and he had Moses called to 
eat bread. Moses dwelt with Reuel, and Reuel gave 
Moses his daughter Zipporah to wife. Zipporah bear 
Moses a son they named Gershom saying, 'Tor I have 
been a stranger in a strange land." 

In time, the reigning king of Egypt died, and the cry 
of the children of Israel, because of their bondage, was 
heard. Remembering his Covenant, God had respect 
unto the children of Israel. 

Moses to Joshua 

Moses kept the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, 
the priest of Midian and, coming to the Mountain of God 
- — to Horeb, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in 
a flame of fire which came out of the midst of a bush 
which was not consumed. Moses turned aside to see 
the sight and why the bush was not consumed and God, 
calling to him out of the midst of the bush, said, "Draw 
not near, put off the shoes from thy feet, for the place 
whereon thou standest is holy ground. I have come 
down to deliver the children of Israel out of the hand of 
the Egyptians unto a good large land flowing with milk 
and honey — unto the place of the Canaanites." God 
told Moses, He would send him unto Pharaoh to bring 
forth his people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. 

It is related, that, when God told Moses He would 
send him unto Pharaoh to bring forth the people, the 
children of Israel, out of Egypt, Moses pled his weakness 
and his inability to gain the confidence of the people, 
and said, "Who s'lall I say sent me?" That the Lord 
said, "Say unto them, I Am that I Am, sent you," and 
told him that he and the Elders of Israel should ask 

[118] 



Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go three days jour- 
ney into the wilderness that they might sacrifice to the 
Lord their God ; that Pharaoh would not let the Children 
of Israel go and, thereafter, He would smite Egypt with 
all His wonders, which He would do in the midst thereof, 
and after that Pharaoh would let the children of Israel 
go ; that He would give the people favor in the sight of the 
Egyptians so that when they went they should not go 
empty handed; that every woman should borrow of her 
neighbor and of her that sojourned in her house jewels 
of silver and jewels of gold and raiment; and that the 
children of Israel should spoil the Egyptians." 

Moses still doubted his power and ability, and the 
Lord, to convince Moses of His power, caused the rod 
in the hand of Moses to become a serpent and his hand 
to become leprous, and told Moses, He would show these 
signs to the children of Israel; that, if the children of 
Israel did not believe him by these signs, he should take 
water out of the river and pour it upon the dry ground 
and it would become blood. 

Moses still complained that he was not eloquent and 
that he was slow of speech and tongue. The Lord be- 
came angry and, calling Aaron, the brother of Moses, who 
was then coming near, made him spokesman for Moses, 
giving into the hand of Aaron the rod with which to do 
the signs, and Moses to act in the place of God. 

Procuring his release from his father-in-law Jethro 
and taking his wife and sons, Moses returned into the 
land of Egypt, and Aaron, with the rod in his hand, 
went with him. 

It is related, that the Lord had directed Aaron into 
the wilderness to meet Moses in the Mount of God ; that 

[119] 



Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord and the 
signs the Lord had commanded which Moses should do 
before ^Pharaoh, and that the Lord would harden 
Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the children 
of Israel depart out of the land of Egypt ; that Moses was 
to say unto Pharaoh, "Thus saith the Lord, Israel is My 
son even My firstborn, let My son go that he may serve 
Me, and if thou refuse to let My son go, I will slay thy 
son even thy firstborn." 

Moses and Aaron gathered the children of Israel 
together, spoke the words of the Lord to them, and did 
the signs in their presence; and the children of Israel 
believed, bowed their heads, and worshipped. They went 
before Pharaoh and told him the words of the Lord but 
Pharaoh, refusing to let the children of Israel go, in- 
creased their daily burdens and beat them; whereupon, 
the children of Israel charged Moses and Aaron with 
having made their savour to be abhorred in the eyes of 
Pharoah and his servants, and with placing a sword in 
the hands of Pharoah and his servants with which to 
slay them. 

The Lord, appearing unto Moses, said. He had 
appeared unto the forefathers of Moses by the name of 
God Almighty, but He was not known to them by his 
name Jehovah; that He had established His Covenant 
with the forefathers, to give to the children of Israel 
the land of Canaan; that He would redeem the children 
of Israel out of their bondage with an outstretched arm 
and great judgment; and that He would take them unto 
himself for a people, be to them a God, and bring them 
unto the promised land. Moses told these things to the 

[120] 



children of Israel but, on account of their anguish of 
spirit and cruel bondage, they hearkened not. 

The Lord having given Moses and Aaron a charge to 
bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt — 
making Moses a god unto Pharaoh and Aaron a prophet — 
told them He would harden Pharaoh's heart that he might 
multiply his signs and wonders in the land of Egypt; that 
Pharaoh would not harken unto them in order that He 
might lay his hand upon Egypt and bring forth His 
people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt 
by great judgment, and the Egyptians thereby know that 
He was the Lord. 

It is stated, that Moses was eighty and Aaron eighty- 
three years old at the time they spoke unto Pharaoh; 'that, 
as proof that their mission was of God and to induce 
Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go and serve their 
God, they caused their rod to become a serpent before 
Pharaoh and his servants; that the magicians of Egypt 
did likewise, casting down their rods with enchantment, 
their rods becam.e serpents, and that Aaron's rod swal- 
lowed up the rods of the magicians ; 

That Moses and Aaron changed the waters of the 
rivers to blood, causing the fish to die and the river to 
stink, and there was blood thruout all the land of Egypt; 
but the magicians, with their enchantments, did the same 
and Pharaoh's heart was hardened; 

That Moses and Aaron caused great frogs to come up 
out of all the waters of the land of Egypt and, the 
magicians, doing the same with their enchantments, 
Pharaoh said unto Moses and Aaron, 'Tf you will remove 
the frogs, I will let the people go ;" that Moses entreated 
the Lord, the frogs died and were heaped up, and the land 

[121] 



stunk, but Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not 
harken unto them; 

That Moses and Aaron smote the dust of the earth 
with the rod and the dust became lice in man and beast 
thruout the land of Egypt. The magicians tried to bring 
forth lice and failing to do so by their enchantments, said 
unto Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God," but Pharaoh's 
heart was hardened and he barkened not unto them ; 

That Moses and Aaron caused a grievous sworm of 
flies to come into the houses of Pharaoh and his servants, 
and into all the land of Egypt, corrupting it with the 
swarms of flies. Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron before 
him and requested, that they sacrifice to their God in 
the land of Egypt which they refused to do, and Pharaoh 
promised to let the children of Israel go if they would 
entreat for him. Moses entreated for Pharaoh and the 
flies were removed, but Pharaoh hardened his heart and 
would not let the children of Israel go; 

That Moses and Aaron caused a grievous m.urrain 
among the cattle of Egypt and their horses, asses, flocks, 
herds and camels all died except the cattle of the children 
of Israel, but the heart of Pharaoh was hardened and he 
would not let the children of Israel go; 

That Moses and Aaron took handsful of ashes from 
the furnace, sprinkled it toward heaven in the sight of 
Pharaoh, and it became small dust in all the land of 
Egypt, causing boils with blains to break forth upon man 
and beast thruout all the land of Egypt. Because of the 
boils, the magicians of Egypt could not stand before 
Moses, but the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh and 
he barkened not unto them; that Moses stood before 
Pharaoh and asked him to let the children of Israel go 

[ 122 ] 



that they might serve the Lord, and stated that, if he 
refused the Lord would send all His plagues, smite him 
and his people with pestilence, and cut them off from the 
earth; and stated, that the Lord had raised up Pharaoh 
to show forth the Lord's power and that the Lord's name 
might be declared thruout all the earth. 

It is related, that Moses and Aaron caused it to thun- 
der and hail very grievous such as there had not been in 
the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The fire 
running along upon the ground and the great hails fall- 
ing smote all that was in the field, man, beast, and herb, 
and broke every tree, except in the land of Goshen where 
the children of Israel were. Pharaoh confessed he had 
sinned and the Lord was righteous; that he and his 
people were wicked; that it was enough; and said to 
Moses and Aaron, if they would entreat the Lord that 
there be no more mighty thunderings and hail, he would 
let the children of Israel go. Moses entreated, the thun- 
ders and hail ceased, but Pharaoh's heart was again 
hardened and he would not let them go. 

After all these thing, the Lord said unto Moses, He 
had hardened the heart of Pharaoh and his servants that 
these signs might be shown before him, and that Moses 
might tell in the ears of his sons and his son's sons what 
things the Lord wrought in Egypt and know how that 
He was the Lord. 

Moses and Aaron, appearing before Pharaoh, threat- 
ened him with a plague of locusts to eat that which 
escaped the hail and fill the houses of all the land of 
Egypt such as was never seen before unless he let the 
children of Israel go that they might serve their God. 
His servants having came and advised him that the land 

[123] 



of Egypt was already destroyed, Pharaoh at first agreed 
to let the children of Israel go with their little ones and 
charged them, they should look to it for evil was before 
them; but, afterwards, he changed his mind and said, 
"Not so," and drove them out from before him. 

By an east wind, the locusts came and rested in all 
the coast of Egypt, covering the whole earth, darkening 
the land, and eating what the hail had left. Confessing he 
had sinned against the Lord their God and against them, 
Pharaoh asked to be forgiven this once and that this 
death be taken away. A strong westward wind took the 
locusts and cast them in the Red sea, but the Lord hard- 
ened Pharaoh's heart and he would not let the children 
of Israel go. 

Moses and Aaron caused a thick darkness for the 
space of three days in all the land of Egypt so that they 
saw not one another nor rose from their places except 
the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 
Pharaoh called Moses and said, "Go ye and serve the 
Lord, only leave your flocks and herds," and Moses 
answered and said, they would not leave a hoof behind, 
and Pharaoh would not let them go. 

After these things, the Lord said unto Moses, "Yet 
will I bring one more plague upon Pharaoh and Egypt 
after which Pharaoh will let you go hence. Speak now 
in the ears of the people and let every man and every 
woman barrow of their neighbor as the Lord had said. 
This month shall be the beginning of months unto you, 
the first month of the year unto you. On the tenth day 
of this month, every man shall take, according to the eat- 
ing of his house, a male lamb of the first year without 
blemish, keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same 

[124] 



month, and, in the evening of that day, kill and eat the 
lamb and with the blood strike on the two sides and the 
upper door posts of the house wherein they shall eat it. 
They shall roast the lamb with fire and eat the fiesh in 
that night with unleavened bread and bitter herbs and if 
anything remains burn it with fire." They were told, 
to eat with their loins girded, their shoes on their feet, 
and their staffs in their hands ; that it would be the Lord's 
passover; that the Lord would pass thru the land of 
Egypt that night and smite all the firstborn in the land 
of Egypt of both man and beast, and execute judgment 
against all the gods of Egypt. 

They were told that the blood upon the house would 
be a token and the angel of death would pass over that 
house; that the day would be for a memorial and they 
should keep it a feast to the Lord thruout their genera- 
tions ; that they should eat unleavened bread for seven 
days, under penalty of being cut off from Israel, for in 
this day He brot their armies out of the land of Egypt; 
that, commencing in the evening of the fourteenth day, 
they should eat unleavened bread until the evening of the 
twenty-first day of the first month. It is stated they did 
as the Lord directed and none went out until the morn- 
ing.* 

At midnight, as he had said, the Lord smote all the 
firstborn in all the land of Egypt, and there was a great cry 
in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not 
one dead ; and Pharaoh, letting the children of Israel go 
to serve their Lord as they had requested, asked them to 
bless him also. 

It is stated, the children of Israel were about six 
hundred thousand men besides the women and children; 

[125] 



that they had flocks, herds, and much cattle; that their 
sojourn in Egypt was four hundred thirty years to the 
day when all the hosts of the Lord went out from the 
land of Egypt by their armies in the month of Abib and 
journeyed to Succoth, having borrowed of their neigh- 
bors and spoiled the Egyptians as they had been told. 
They were instructed, in keeping the passover w4th un- 
leavened bread for seven days, which they should show 
to their children; that the male firstlings of both man 
and beast should be the Lord's; that the firsthng of the 
ass should be redeemed with a lamb of the sheep or the 
goat, and if not redeemed they should break his neck; 
that all the firstborn of man among their children they 
should redeem because the Lord slew all the firstborn 
in the land of Egypt of both man and beast: therefore, 
they sacrificed to the Lord all that opened the matrix 
being males but all the firstborn of their children they 
redeemed. 

It is related, that the children of Israel went up out 
of the land of Egypt harnessed, taking the bones of 
Joseph with them, and journeyed from Succoth, encamp- 
ing in Etham in the edge of the wilderness ; that the Lord 
went before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them 
the way and in a pillar of fire by night to give them 
Hght that they might go by day and night; that for fear 
the people would repent and return to Egypt when they 
saw war, God led them not thru the way of the land of 
the Philistines, altho that was near, but led them about 
thru the way of the wilderness of the Red sea, having 
them turn and camp before Pi-hahiroth between Migdal 
and the sea over against Baal-zephon so Pharaoh would 
think they were entangled in the land and the wilderness 

[126] 



had shut them in, and hardened Pharaoh's heart to follow 
after them that he might be honored upon Pharaoh and 
upon all his host. 

Being thus misled by the supposed plight of the chil- 
dren of Israel, Pharaoh made ready with his chariots, 
horsemen, and army and pursued after the children of 
Israel, overtaking them in camp at Pi-hahiroth before 
Baal-zephon by the sea. The children of Israel, seeing 
the Egyptians coming, complained against Moses for 
bringing them out of Egypt, and Moses said to them, 
**Fear not. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord." 

It is related, that the pillar of cloud removed and 
stood between the camp of the Israelites and that of the 
Egyptians, making it darkness for the Egyptians with the 
pillar of fire giving light by night to Israel; that the Lord 
walled the waters of the Red sea and the Israelites 
passed thru on dry land; that the Egyptians following 
reached the midst of the sea when the waters, resuming 
their natural condition, submerged and destroyed Pharaoh 
and all his host. 

When Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the shores 
of the sea, they sang the Lord's praises for the over- 
throw, saying, "Who is like unto thee O Lord among 
the gods? Sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of 
Philistine, the dukes of Edom shall be amazed and the 
mighty men of Moab trembling shall take hold upon 
them, and all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. 
Thou shalt bring them in and place them in the mountain 
of thine inheritance, in the place Thou hast made for Thee 
to dwell in, in the sanctuary which Thy hand has estab- 
lished," and the women took timbrels in their hands and 
danced. 

[127] 



They journeyed three days out in the wilderness of 
shur and, finding no water fit to drink, they murmured 
against Moses and he sweetened the waters of Marah 
for the children of Israel under the direction of the 
Lord. 

They next came to Elim where there were twelve 
wells of water and seventy palm trees and camped there 
by the waters. Then they came to the wilderness of 
sin between Elim and Sinai on the fifteenth day of the 
second month after they came out of Egypt. For the 
lack of food and water, the children of Israel murmured 
and wished they had died in Egypt, where they sat by the 
flesh pots and eat bread to the full, and the Lord pro- 
vided quail for their meat and manna for their bread. 
This manna was a small white thing like coriander seed 
and tasted like wafers made with honey. It came by way 
of dew each morning except the seventh or Sabbath day 
when none fell. The amount each should gather in any 
one day was fixed at enough and in case any was left 
over it bred worms and was unfit for food except that on 
the sixth day by direction they gathered a double portion 
to do over the Sabbath and if any was left over it bred 
worms and was unfit for food. 

By direction of the Lord, they put an omer of manna 
in a pot and laid it up before the Testimony to be kept 
that their generations might see the bread the Lord fed 
them with forty years in the wilderness and until they 
came to a land inhabited, the borders of the land of 
Canaan. 

They journeyed from the wilderness of sin and 
pitched in Rephidim. There being no water for the people 
to drink, they chided Moses, murmured against him for 

[128] 



bringing them out of Egypt to kill them with thirst, and 
were about to stone Moses when the Lord directed him 
and he smote the Rock in Horeb with his rod, bringing 
forth water for the people to drink. 

In Rephidim, Amalek came to fight against Israel and 
Moses directed and Joshua chose out men and fought 
with Amalek while Moses, with Aaron and Hur, stood 
on the top of the hill with the rod of God in his hand; 
and it came to pass, that when Moses held up his hand 
Israel prevailed and when he let down his hand Amalek 
prevailed and, his hands becoming heavy, Moses sat down 
upon a stone while Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands 
until the going down of the sun and Joshua discomfited 
Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. It is 
stated, the Lord directed Moses to write this for a 
memorial in a book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua 
for He would utterly put Amalek out of remembrance 
from under heaven. Moses built an altar and called the 
name of it Jehovah-nissi because the Lord had sworn 
to have war with Amalek from generation to generation. 

It is related, that the people stood before Moses from 
morning until evening to be judged; that his father-in- 
law Jethro visited Moses in the wilderness at the Mount 
of God and, seeing this wearisome task, advised and 
Moses selected and appointed able God-fearing men to 
assist him in judging the people, making them rulers 
over thousands, fifties, and tens and judges of every 
small matter, bringing to him only the hard cases. 

In the third month from their departure out of Egypt, 
the children of Israel came to the desert of Sinai and 
pitched in the wilderness before the Mount where the 
Lord through the mouth of Moses told the house of Jacob, 

[129] 



the children of Israel, if they would obey His voice in 
deed and keep His covenants they should be a peculiar 
people unto Him, a kingdom of priests and an holy 
people. 

Under divine directions, Moses prepared the people, 
by sanctification unto the third day, to meet with God, 
when He would appear on Mount Sinai in a cloud in 
sight of all the people and speak to Moses in their hearing, 
that they might believe forever. Moses set the people 
a boundary, that they go not up into the Mount nor touch 
the border of it under penalty of death. 

In the morning of the third day, Moses brot the people 
to meet with God. The Lord appeared in a cloud upon 
Mount Sinai and Moses and Aaron went up into the 
Mount where the Lord, in the hearing of the people, gave 
them His commandments, saying: They should have no 
other gods before Him; they should make no graven 
images of anything in heaven above, in the earth beneath, 
in the water under the earth, neither bow down or serve 
them ; they should not take the name of the Lord in vain ; 
they should remember the Sabbath, keep it holy, and do 
no work therein for the Lord had sanctified and hallowed 
it; and they should honor their father and their mother. 
It is stated, Moses offered sacrifices and read the book 
of the covenant in the audience of the people, and the 
people promised to be obedient. 

It is related that Moses, leaving Aaron and Hur with 
the elders, took Joshua and went up into the Mount of 
God, Mount Sinai, for the space of forty days and forty 
nights; that while in the Mount of God, Moses was in- 
structed, to take free will offerings of the children of Israel 
to make the Lord a sanctuary where he might dwell among 

[130] 



them, receiving minute instructions about its makings 
and furnishings. Moses was to make an Ark into which 
the Testimony should be placed, a Mercy Seat upon the 
Ark from where the Lord would communicate with 
Moses and to the children of Israel, a table with dishes, 
spoons, covers, and bowls, where there should be set 
Shewbread before the Lard always, a candlestick with 
shaft and six branches three on either side and their 
furnishings all one beaten work of gold, and seven lamps 
of pure gold for the candlestick, all to be after the pat- 
tern of the tabernacle and instruments shown him in the 
Mount. 

In making the tabernacle, it was to be enclosed with 
ten curtains arranged five and five and covered with 
eleven curtains arranged five and six. The curtain of the 
pairs were to be coupled together by fifty loops in the 
edges and the pairs attached with gold and brass toches, 
making it all one. By the Ark of the Testimony and a 
vail hung upon four pillars, the tabernacle was to be 
divided into the holy and the most holy places with a court 
on either side. These courts on the north and south 
sides were each to have twenty pillars and those on the 
west and east sides were each to have ten pillars, and 
each court to have a gate with four pillars. 

Moses was instructed in the making of an altar, the 
clothing and holy garments for Aaron and his sons to 
minister unto the Lord in the priest office, and the man- 
ner of the consecration of Aaron and his sons for the 
priestly offices. The tabernacle, it is stated, would be, 
on behalf of the children of Israel and their generations, 
a structure forever. The names of the twelve sons of 
Jacob were to be engraved upon two onyx stones accord- 

[131] 



ing to their births, six in each, and the stones set in gold 
upon the two shoulders of the ephod to be worn by Aaron 
before the Lord, as stones of memorial unto the children 
of Israel. 

Upon the ephod, besides the two memorial stones, 
there was to be a four square double breastplate of 
judgment set with four rows of three stones each. In 
the first row, a Sardius, a Topaz, and a Carbuncle ; in the 
second, an Emerald, a Sapphire, and a Diamond; in the 
third, a Ligure, an Agate, and an Amethyst; and in the 
fourth, a Beryl, an Onyx, and a Jasper, all set in gold 
with the names of the twelve sons of Jacob engraved 
one on each stone according to their births. And the 
Urim and the Thummim. This breastplate was to be 
connected to the shoulderpiece of the ephod by two 
golden chains so as to rest over the heart when Aaron 
went in unto the Holy Place, as a memorial before the 
Lord continually. 

The Lord called Bezaleel the son of Uri and the 
grandson of Hur of the tribe of Judah and Aholiab the 
son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan and prepared them 
with the necessary skill, art, and wisdom to have charge 
of the work about the tabernacle which he had commanded 
to be made. 

While Moses was in the Mount of God Mount Sinai, 
the Lord gave him the Testimony written by the finger of 
God upon the two sides of two tables of stone which 
were called, the two tables of Testimony. While Moses 
was away in the Mount of God, the people, not knowing 
what had became of Moses, had Aaron make for them, 
out of their gold jewelry, a god in the form of a molten 
calf, build an altar before it, and make proclamation of a 

[132] 



feast. The people sacrificed to the image and worshipped 
it as the god which brought them up out of the land of 
Egypt. It is stated, that this made the Lord angry, and 
he thot to consume the people and make a great nation 
out of Moses, but Moses interceded for the people and 
the Lord repented of the evil He had thot to do to His 
people. Moses and Joshua went down from the Mount, 
Moses taking the two tables of the Testimony in his hand, 
and when they heard the noise of the people and saw 
the image and the dancing, Moses, becoming angry, 
cast the two tables of the Testimony out of his hands, 
breaking them beneath the Mount. Moses burnt the calf, 
ground it to a powder, strewed it upon the waters, and 
made the children of Israel drink it. When Moses asked 
Aaron about the making of the image, Aaron said, the 
people were set on mischief, he cast their gold in the 
fire, and there came out this calf. 

It is related, when Moses saw that the people were 
naked — for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame 
among their enemies — he stood in the gate of the camp 
and called, for those who were on the Lord's side to come 
unto him, and the sons of Levi gathered unto him; that 
Moses said unto the sons of Levi, ''The Lord God of 
Israel saith, 'Take thy sword and go in and out from gate 
to gate thruout the camp and slay every man his brother, 
his companion, and his neighbor,' " that the sons of Levi 
did as Moses said to them and there fell of the people that 
day about three thousand men. 

After these things, it is related, Moses went unto the 
Lord and was told, to take the people to the place he had 
been told, the land flowing with milk and honey; that 
the Lord would not go up with him for he was a stifif- 

[133] 



necked people ; that the people striped themselves of their 
ornaments by Mount Horeb, and Moses removed and 
pitched the tabernacle without the camp, calling it the 
tabernacle of the congregation, and every one who sought 
the Lord went out unto it. 

It is related, that, when Moses went out to go to the 
tabernacle, all the people rose up and every man, stand- 
ing by his tent door, saw the pillar of cloud descend and 
stand at the door of the tabernacle and the Lord talked 
with Moses face to face as a man speaketh to a friend, 
and every man worshipped in his tent door; that Moses 
returned to the camp but Joshua his servant departed not 
out of the tabernacle. 

Moses was told, the Lord's presence would go with 
him and give him rest; that in this the children of Israel 
would be separated from all the people on the face of 
the earth; that the goodness of the Lord would pass 
before him and the name of the Lord be proclaimed ; that 
the Lord would be gracious to whom He would be 
gracious and show mercy on whom He would show 
mercy; that Moses should not see His face, for no man 
could see his face and live; that he would put Moses in 
a cleft of the rock, and cover him with His hand while 
the Lord's glory passed by; that Moses should see His 
back parts but His face should not be seen. 

It is stated, that Moses hewed two tables of stone 
like unto the first which he broke and in the morning 
took them under his arm and went up unto Mount Sinai ; 
that the Lord descended in a cloud, stood beside Moses, 
proclaimed the name of the Lord, and passed before 
Moses ; that the Lord made a covenant that day, to drive 
out before Moses all the inhabitants of the promised 

[134] 



land, directing that Moses should make no covenants with 
the inhabitants of the promised land but destroy their 
altars, break their images, and cut down their groves, and 
worship no other god; for the Lord, whose name is 
jealous, is a jealous God. 

Moses was in the Mount with the Lord forty days and 
forty nights neither eating bread or drinking water, and 
the Lord wrote upon the two tables the words of the 
Covenant, the ten commandments. 

Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two 
tables of testimony in his hands and the skin of his face 
shone so bright that Aaron and the people were afraid to 
come near him. Covering his face with a vail, Moses 
called them, talked to them, and gave them in command- 
ment all that the Lord had spoken unto him in Mount 
Sinai. 

According to all the directions of the Lord, the taber- 
nacle was completed and furnished by the people and 
viewed and approved by Moses on the first day of the 
first month of the second year. 

When completed and dedicated, a cloud covered the 
tabernacle and the glory of God so filled it that Moses 
was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation. 

It came to pass, when the cloud was taken up from 
over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward 
in all their journeys but if the cloud was not taken up 
they journeyed not until the day that it was taken up.. 
It is stated, the cloud of the Lord was upon the taber- 
nacle by day and fire was on it by night in the sight of all. 
the house of Israel thruout all their journeys. 

The offerings the children of Israel made to the Lord 
were, the burnt offerings of the herd, the flock, or the 

[135] 



fowl; the meat offering of flour baked with oil and 
incense or of the first fruits of the ear ; the peace offering 
of the herd or of the flock ; the sin offering for the ignor- 
ance of the priests, the congregation, the ruler, or for any 
of the people ; and the trespass offering of the flock, the 
fowl, or of flour. 

The feasts of the Lord were, the passover ; the sheaf 
of first fruits; the feast of Pentecost; the feast of 
trumpets, and the feast of tabernacles. The seventh 
year was a Sabbath and the fiftieth year a Jubilee. 

It is stated, Moses and Aaron blessed the people and 
fire came from the Lord upon the altar ; that Nadab and 
Abihu offered strange fire, were burnt, and died before 
the Lord ; and that Aaron and his remaining sons were 
forbidden to mourn for them. 

Under the direction of the Lord in the wilderness 
of Sinai, Moses and Aaron, assisted by the head men of the 
tribes, on the first day of the second month in the second 
year numbered and took the sum of all the congregation 
after their families by the house of their fathers, every 
male by their polls from twenty years old and upwards 
who were able to go forth to war in Israel, numbering 
them by their armies. 

There were, in the tribe of Reuben forty-six thousand 
five hundred ; in that of Simeon, fifty-nine thousand three 
hundred ; in that of Gad, forty-five thousand six hundred ; 
in that of Judah, seventy-four thousand six hundred; in 
that of Issacher, forty-four thousand four hundred; in 
that of Zebulum, fifty-seven thousand four hundred; in 
that of Ephriam the son of Joseph, forty thousand five 
hundred; in that of Manasseh the son of Joseph, thirty- 
two thousand two hundred; in that of Benjamin, thirty- 

[136] 



five thousand four hundred; m that of Dan, sixty-two 
thousand seven hundred; in that of Asher, forty-one 
thousand five hundred; and that of Naphtali, fifty-three 
thousand four hundred. The two sons of Joseph and the 
sons of Jacob other than Joseph and Levi were the twelve 
princes of Israel, making a sum total, exclusive of the 
tribe of Levi which had been set apart for the Lord in the 
place of the first born and numbered separately, of six 
hundred three thousand five hundred fifty. 

It will be remembered that, at the time he blessed the 
two sons of Joseph before his death in Egypt, Jacob 
promised Joseph a double portion in Israel. Joseph died 
in Egypt and the tribe of Levi was given to the Lord 
for the service of the temple which left the house of Israel 
with but ten princes. The two vacant places were given 
to the two sons of Joseph thus the house of Joseph re- 
ceived a double portion in Israel as promised by Jacob. 

The males of the tribe of Levi were numbered from 
one month old and upward the sum of which was twenty- 
two thousand. The tribe of Levi was appointed to have 
charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony, its vessels, and 
all the things belonging to it. In journeying, it was the 
duty of the Levites to take down and bear the tabernacle, 
and when it was to be pitched it was their duty to set it 
up in all its appoinments, minister unto it, and camp 
round about it. 

The families of the Levites, according to the house of 
their father's who were sons of Levi, were, Gershon — 
the Libnites and Shimites — numbering seven thousand 
five hundred, and located behind the tabernacle west- 
ward; Kohath — the Izeharites, Hobromites, and Uzziel- 
ites — numbering eight thousand six hundred, to whom 

[137] 



was assigned the charge of the sanctuary, and located 
southward of the tabernacle; the house of Merari — the 
Mahlites and Mushites — numbering six thousand two 
hundred, and located northward of the tabernacle. Each 
of these families were assigned to a special work about 
the tabernacle, the care of its parts, its utensils, or in- 
struments. 

Moses, Aaron, and the sons of Aaron camped before 
the tabernacle to the eastward and had charge of the 
keeping of the sanctuary for the children of Israel. 
ELeazar the son of Aaron the priest was chief over the 
chiefs of the Levites and had the oversight of them that 
kept the charge of the sanctuary. 

The Lord having given up the firstborn of the chil- 
dren of Israel, numbering twenty-two thousand two hun- 
dred seventy-three, for the Levites numbering twenty- 
two thousand, Moses was required to redeem the two 
hundred seventy-three firstborn more than the Levites at 
five sheckles each by the poll, giving the money unto 
Aaron and his sons. 

By direction, the other tribes of the children of Israel 
camped far off about the tabernacle, each having its own 
Standard with the ensign of the father's house. 

Judah was assigned to the first tribe position east of 
the tabernacle toward the rising sun. Next east of 
Judah was the tribe of Issacher, then came the tribe of 
Zebulum, in all one hundred eighty-six thousand four 
hundred who should first set forth. 

On the south side were the Standards of the camps 
of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, one hundred fifty-one 
thousand four hundred fifty who were to set forth in 
the second rank. 

[138] 



On the west side were the Standards of the camps 
of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, one hundred 
eighty thousand one hundred who were to go forth in 
the third rank. 

On the north side were the Standards of the camps 
of Dan, x^sher, and NaphtaH, one hundred fifty-seven 
thousand six hundred who were to go hindmost with 
their standards. 

Out of the children of Israel, the tribe of Levi was 
presented to Aaron and his sons to minister unto him 
and them in keeping his charge and that of the whole 
congregation to do the service of the tabernacle. 

On the twentieth day of the second month in the 
second year, the cloud was taken up from off the taber- 
nacle of the Testimony and the children of Israel took 
their journey out of the wilderness of Sinai, The Ark 
of the Covenant of the Lord, going before the children 
of Israel to search out a resting place far them, rested 
in the wilderness of Paran, after a three days' journey 
from the Mount of God. 

Remembering the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, 
onions, and garlick they had to eat freely in Egypt, the 
people complained of having nothing but manna to eat 
and asked for flesh, saying, their souls were dried away, 
and every man stood in the door of his tent and wept. 
Moses was displeased and complained, that the burden 
of the people was upon him, and he was unable to bear 
it all alone. The Lord directed and Moses brot togather 
unto the tabernacle seventy of the elders of Israel upon 
whom the Lord put of the spirit of Moses to bear with 
Moses the burden of the people with Moses. 

It is related, that, when the spirit rested upon them 

[139] 



the seventy elders did not cease prophesying; that two 
of the elders, Eldad and Medad, not coming to the tab- 
ernacle, the spirit rested upon them in the camp and 
they prophesied in the camp ; and that these were of them 
that were written. 

To satisfy the children of Israel in their demand for 
flesh to eat, it is stated, the Lord sent quail from the 
sea and let them fall by the camp, which was a days 
journey in either direction, until they were two cubits 
high upon the face of the earth, and they gathered the 
quail during all that day, that night, and all the next day, 
and spread them all about themselves. 

It is related, that v»^hile the flesh was yet between 
their teeth and before it was chewed, the wrath of the 
Lord was kindled against the people, and He smote them 
with a very great plague. They called the name of that 
place Kibroth-hattaavah, because they buried the people 
that lusted. The children of Israel journeyed from 
there and abode at Hazeroth. 

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, because ot 
the Ethiopian woman he had married, and the Lord, it 
is stated, caused Miriam to become leprous white as 
snow; that Aaron repented; that Moses interceded for 
Miriam and, after seven days without the camp, she was 
restored and that the people removed to the wilderness 
of Paran. 

From Paran, under the direction of the Lord, Moses 
sent the twelve princes of the house of Israel to spy 
out the land of Canaan and ascertain the kind of people 
who dwelt therein, whether they were strong or weak, 
few or many; whether the land be good or bad; what 
cities they had; whether they dwelt in tents or strong 

[ 140 ] 



holds; whether the land be fat or lean; and whether 
there be wood therein; and charged them to be of good 
courage and bring of the fruits of the land. 

It is stated, that they went and searched the land 
from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob as men came 
to Hamoth ; that they ascended from the south and came 
to Hebron where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai the 
children of Anak were; that they came to the bank of 
Eshcol, cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes 
which they bear between two upon a staff, and brought 
of the pomegranates and figs, calling the name of the 
place, "The Brook Eschol," because of the cluster of 
grapes they had cut down there. 

After forty days, the princes returned and, showing 
the fruit of the land, said, "Surely it floweth with milk 
and honey;" that the people are strong and the cities 
are walled and very great ; that they saw the children of 
Anak there ; that the Amalekites dwelt in the land of the 
south; that the Hittites, Jebusites, and the Amorites 
dwelt in the mountains ; and that the Canaanites dwelt by 
the seas and by the coast of Jordan." 

Caleb, one of the returned spies, advised that they 
go up at once and possess the land, as they were well 
able to overcome it; but the others who went up with 
him thot the people of the land were the stronger and 
gave an evil report of the land, saying, "It is a land that 
eats up the inhabitants; that all the men they saw were 
of great stature; and that the sons of Anak were giants 
in whose sight the children of Israel were as grasshop- 
pers:" and that night the people cried and murmured 
against Moses and Aaron, wishing they had died in the 
land of Egypt or in the wilderness, and asked, why the 

[141] 



Lord brot them unto this land to fall by the sword, and 
their wives and children to be a prey? They thot it 
better to return to Egypt, and advised making a captain 
and returning to Egypt. 

Moses and Aaron prostrated themselves before the 
people and Joshua and Caleb told the people, the land 
they passed thru was an exceeding good land, a land 
that flowed with milk and honey; that they should not 
fear the people of the land, for they were bread for them, 
the defense of the people of the land having departed 
from them while the Lord was with the children of Israel ; 
but the people replied, "Stone them with stones." The 
Lord rebuked the people, saying, He would smite them 
with a great pestilence, disinherit them, and make Moses 
a mightier nation than they, but Moses requested and the 
Lord pardoned the people. 

The Lord said unto the people, "As truly as I live, 
all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. 
This people shall not see the land of promise except My 
servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him 
and hath followed Me fully. Him will I bring unto the 
land whereunto he went and his seed shall possess it." 

It is related, that the Lord turned the people into 
the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, and said, their 
carcasses from twenty years old and upwards who had 
murmured against Him should fall in the wilderness 
save Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of 
Nun; that their little ones. He would bring in and they 
should know the land which the children of Israel had 
despised; that they should wander in the wilderness 
forty years — until their carcasses be wasted in the wil- 
derness. It is stated, that all those men that brot up 

[142] 



the evil report of the land died by the plague before 
the Lord except Joshua and Caleb; that the people mur- 
mured greatly and, against the advise of Moses, went up 
into the mountain to go to the place which the Lord 
had promised, but the Ark and Moses did not depart 
from the camp; that the Amalekites and the Canaanites 
which dwelt in that hill came down and smote and dis- 
comfited them even unto Hormah. 

Korah the great great grandson of Levi, with Dathan 
and Abiram the sons of Eliab and On, the sons of 
Peleth and the sons of Reuben with two hundred fifty 
princes, rose up against Moses and Aaron, saying, they 
took too much upon themselves, that all the congrega- 
tion were holy. Moses said to Korah, that they as sons 
of Levi, were taking too much upon themselves; that 
they had been selected to do the service of the taber- 
nacle of the congregation and now they sought the 
priesthood also. Moses arranged with Korah, to let the 
Lord make the choice among them, and sent to call 
Dathan and Abiram but they refused to come, saying, 
Moses had brought them up out of a land that flowed 
with milk and honey to kill them in the wilderness, ar to 
make himself a prince over them; that he had not brot 
them into a land that flowed with milk and honey, or 
given them inheritance of fields and vineyards. 

By direction, the congregation was removed from 
about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram 
on every side. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram came 
out and stood in the door of their tents with their 
wives, sons, and little children. It came to pass, as 
Moses had said, the earth opened her mouth and swol- 
lowed them up with their house and all that appertained 

[143] 



to Korah. They went down alive into the pit, the earth 
closed upon them, and they perished from among the 
congregation. Fire came out from the Lord and con- 
sumed the two hundred and fifty men who sinned against 
their own souls. 

The next day, the people gathered and murmured 
against Moses and Aaron, because they killed the people 
of the Lord. Aaron made an atonement for the sins 
of the people and stayed the plague that had gone out 
from the Lord. He stood between the living and the 
dead and the plague was stayed after the death of four- 
teen thousand seven hundred besides those that died in 
the matter of Koran. 

Under the direction of the Lord, as objective evidence 
of the Lord's selection, Moses took from each prince of 
the twelve tribes of Israel a rod, writing the name of the 
prince upon the rod and Aaron's name upon the rod of 
Levi, and the rod that budded was to be the Lord's 
selection. Moses laid the rods up in the tabernacle of 
the congregation before the Testimony in the tabernacle 
of witness, and Aaron's rod for the house of Levi bud- 
ded, bloomed, blossomed, and yielded almonds. Moses 
brought out the rods and, when the congregation had 
looked, returned the rods to the princes and Aaron's 
rod was returned before the Testimony to be kept for a 
token against the rebels. 

The children of Israel came into the wilderness of 
Zin and abode in Kadesh where Miriam died and was 
buried. It is related, they found no water there and 
chode with Moses, saying, they wished they had died 
with their brethren before the Lord and asked, why he 
had brot them up into the wilderness to die; that it 

[144] 



was an evil place, with no seed, figs, vines, or pome- 
granates, and no water to drink. Moses gathered the 
people before the rock, smote it twice, and the water 
came out abundantly. 

It is related, that the Lord told Moses and Aaron, 
this was the water of Meribah, because the children of 
Israel stood with the Lord and He was sanctified in 
them; that they should not bring the congregation into 
the land which He had given them because they be- 
lieved Him not, to sanctify Him in the eyes of the chil- 
dren of Israel. 

The king of Edom refusing Moses passage thru his 
country by the king's highway, the children of Israel 
turned and journeyed to Mount Hor by the coast of the 
land of Edom, where Moses was told, that Aaron should 
be gathered unto his people without entering the land of 
promise, because Moses and Aaron rebelled against His 
word at the water of Meribah. Moses was told, to bring 
Aaron and Eleazer his son up into Mount Hor, strip 
Aaron of his garments and place them upon Eleazer, 
and Aaron would be gathered unto his people. It is 
stated, that, when these things were done in the sight 
of all the congregation, Aaron died there in the top of 
Mount Hor; and that when the congregation saw that 
Aaron was dead they mourned for him thirty days. 

When king Arad the Canaanite heard that Israel 
came by way of spies, he fought against them and took 
some of them prisoners; but the Israelites utterly de- 
stroyed him and his cities, and called the name of the 
place Hormah. 

The children of Israel journeyed from Mount Hor 
by way of the Red Sea to compass the land of Edom and, 

[ 145 ] 



becoming much discouraged because of the way, fuey 
spoke against God and against Moses, saying, wherefore 
they had brot them up out of Egypt to die in the wilder- 
ness ; that there was neither bread or water ; and that 
their souls lotheth the light bread. It is stated, that, for 
this offense of complaining against God and Moses, the 
Lord sent fiery serpents among the children of Israel 
which bit them and much of Israel died ; that, the people 
confessing their sin to Moses, the Lord directed and 
Moses made a fiery serpent of brass, set it upon a pole, 
and when one was bitten if he looked upon the serpent 
of brass he lived. 

It is related, that the children of Israel, setting for- 
ward, came to Oboth, next to Ije-abariam in the wilder- 
ness before Moab, to the valley of Zared, and then to the 
other side of Arnon in the wilderness that cometh out 
of the coast of the Amorites, wherefore it is said in the 
book of the wars of the Lord, what he did in the Red sea, 
in the brook of Arnon, and at the stream of the brooks 
that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar and lieth upon 
the border of Moab, and from thence to Beer ; that, com- 
ing from the wilderness, they went to Mattanah, to Na- 
haliel, thence to Ramoth in the valley of the country of 
Moab, and from there they went to the top of Pisgah 
which looks toward Jeshimon. 

The king of the Amorites, refusing Israel passage 
thru his country by the king's high-w^ay, came out to 
Jahaz and fought against Israel. Israel smote the king 
of the Amorites and Moses, searching out Jaazer, drove 
out the Amorites that were there. 

After this, the children of Israel turned and went 
up by the way of Bashan and Og. Coming out against 

[146] 



the children of Israel, to the battle of Edrei, the king 
was smitten until there were none left alive and Israel 
possesses the land. 

Next the children of Israel pitched in the plain of 
Moab on the side of Jordan by Jericho, and Balak the 
king of the Moabites, being afraid of Israel, because of 
their number, sent messengers unto Balaam the son of 
Beor to call him to curse this people, thinking that Balaam 
might smite them and drive them out of the land. Balak 
sent word he understood that whatsoever Balaam blessed 
they were blessed and he whom Balaam cursed were 
cursed. 

It is related, the messengers, the elders of Moab and 
Midian, with the reward of divination in their hand, 
came unto Balaam with the message of Balak and Balaam, 
after consulting with God, refused to go. Balak sent 
unto Balaam a second time and the Lord, after instructing 
Balaam to do the Lord's will, permitted him to go. As 
Balaam was going to Balak, he was met in the way by 
an angel of God. When Balaam's ass saw the angel, he 
turned aside and, as often as the ass turned aside, he 
was smitten by Balaam with his staff. The Lord opened 
the mouth of the ass and the ass talked to Balaam, asking 
wherefore he smote him, and Balaam said, he had smitten 
her because she mocked him. The Lord opened the eyes 
of Balaam and he saw and talked with the angel, being 
instructed to go with the men but only speak what the 
Lord spake. 

Balak met Balaam at the city of Moab in the border 
of Arnon in the uttermost coast and they came unto 
Kirjath-huzoth into the high places of Baal that Balaam 
might see the utmost part of the people. They built 

[147] 



seven altars, offered sacrifice, and, the Lord appearing, 
Balaam said, ''From the tops of the rocks I see Him and 
from the hills I behold Him; lo, the people shall dwell 
alone and shall not be second among the nations. Who 
can count the dust of Jacob or the number of the fourth 
part of Israel ? Let me die the death of the righteous and 
let my last end be like his." And Balak complained, that 
he blessed them instead of cursing them. 

Balak brought Balaam into the field of Zophim to 
the top of Pisgah, built seven altars, offered sacrifice, and, 
the Lord again appearing, Balaam said, "God is not a 
man that He should die, neither the son of man that 
He should repent. I have received commandment to 
bless. God has not beheld iniquity in Jacob nor seen 
perversion in Israel. The Lord his God is with Israel 
and brought them out of Egypt. There is no enchant- 
ment against Jacob nor divination against Israel." 

Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor that looketh 
toward Jeshiman, built seven altars, and offered sacri- 
fice. Seeing it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, Balaam 
went not as at other times but set his face toward the 
wilderness and, seeing Israel abiding in his tents accord- 
ing to their tribes, the spirit of God came upon him and 
he praised and blessed the tents of Jacob and the taber- 
nacle of Israel, and Balak, being displeased, ordered 
Balaam to his own country. 

When Balak ordered Balaam to his own country, 
Balaam said, he would go unto his own people but he 
would first tell Balak, that in the latter days there would 
come a Star out of Jacob, and a scepter would rise out of 
Israel and smite the corners of Moab, destroying all the 
children of Sheth; that out of Jacob would come he that 

[148] 



would have dominion, and he would destroy him that 
remaineth of the city; that Amalek was the first of the 
nations but later he would perish forever; that the Ken- 
ites were strong in their dwelling place, putting their nest 
in a rock, nevertheless, they should be wasted until As- 
shur would carry them away captive; alas, who shall 
live when God doeth this? Ships will come from the 
coast Chittim and afflict Asshur, and afflict Eber who 
should also perish forever. Balak went his way and 
Balaam returned to his place. 

Israel abode in Shittim and the people committed 
whordom with the daughters of Moab, going to their 
sacrifices, eating with and bowing down to their gods, 
and joining themselves unto Baal-peor, and by direction 
every man was slain. The number dying in that plague 
were twenty-four thousand. 

Phinehas the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron 
caught Zimri, a prince of the chief house among the 
Simeonites, in the act with Cozbi, a Midianitish woman, 
and, being zealous for his God, he thrust them thru and 
was given the Lord's Covenant of peace, an everlasting 
priesthood, and the plague was stopped. 

After this plague, by direction of the Lord, Moses 
and Eleazar the priest numbered the children of Israel 
from twenty years old upward, in the plains of Moab by 
Jordan near Jericho, and there were, exclusive of the 
Levites, a total of six hundred one thousand seven hun- 
dred thirty among whom the promised land should be 
divided by lot, according to numbers for an inheritance. 

Of the children of Reuben, after their families — 
Hanochites, Palluites, Hazromites, and Carmites — there 
were forty-three thousand seven hundred thirty. Of the 

[149] 



children of Simeon, after their famiHes — Nemuehtes, 
Jaminites, Jachnites, Zarhites, and ShauHtes — there were 
twenty-two thousand two hundred. Of the children of 
Gad, after their families — Zephonites, Haggites, Shun- 
ites, Oznites, Elites, Arodites, and Arelites — there were 
forty thousand five hundred. Of the children of Judah, 
after their families — Shelanites, Pharzites, Zargites, Hez- 
rinites, and Hamulites — there were seventy-six thousand 
five hundred. Of the children of Issacher, after their 
families — Talanites, Punites, Joshubites, and Shimronites, 
— there were sixty- four thousand three hundred. Of the 
children of Zebulum, after their families — Zardites, Elon- 
ites, and Jahleelites — there were sixty thousand five 
hundred. The children of Manasseh the son of Joseph, 
after their families — Machirites, Gileadites, Jeezerites, 
Helekites, Asrielites, Shechemites, Shemidites, and Hep- 
herites — there were fifty-two thousand seven hundred. 
Of the children of Ephraim the son of Joseph, after their 
families — Shutholites, Bachrites, Tahanites, and Eranites 
— there were thirty-two thousand five hundred. Of the 
children of Benjamin, after their families — Beloites, 
Ashbelites, Ahiramites, Shuphamites, Huphahites, Ard- 
ites, and Naamites — there were forty-five thousand six 
hundred. Of the children of Dan there w^as but one 
family that of the Shuhamites, numbering sixty-four 
thousand four hundred. Of the children of Asher, after 
their families — Jimnites, Jesuites, Berites, Heberites, 
Malchrelites — ^there were fifty-three thousand four hun- 
dred. The name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah. 
Of the children of Naphtali, after their families — 
Jahzellites, Gunites, Jezerites, and Shillemites — there 
were forty-five thousand four hundred. 

[150] 



Of the Levites, after their famiHes — Gershonites, 
Kohathites, Merarites, Hebronites, MahHtes, IMushites, 
and Korathites — there were of the males one month old 
and upward twenty-three thousand. They were not num- 
bered among the children of Israel because there was 
no inheritance given them among the children of Israel. 
Of the house of Levi, Kohath begat Amram whose wife 
was Jochebed a daughter of the house of Levi who bear 
unto Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister. 
It is stated, that among those numbered at this time there 
was not a man whom Moses and Aaron numbered in the 
wilderness of Sinai save Caleb and Joshua. 

After these things, Moses by direction prepared Joshua 
to become the leader of the children of Israel, and Joshua 
selected twelve thousand men, one thousand from each 
tribe, and sent them over to avenge the Lord against the 
Midianites. They slew all the males, the five kings of 
Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. Balaam the 
son of Beor, and took the women and children captives. 
They burned their cities and goodly castles, and took their 
spoil of cattle, flocks, goods, gold, silver, brass, iron, tin, 
and lead. 

Thru the counsel of Balaam the son of Beor, the 
women of Midian committed the trespass against the 
Lord in the matter of Peor, bringing the plague among the 
congregation of the Lord, and Moses was wroth because 
Joshua had brought these women alive as captives, and 
Moses had every male among the little ones and every 
women that had lain with a man killed, and required a 
seven days purification without the camp with fire and the 
water of separation. The spoil was divided equally be- 



[151 



tsveen those that went to war and all the rest, and a 
portion of each was given to the Levites. 

By the direction of the Lord, the children of Israel 
were required to appoint, thruout the promised land, 
six cities of refuge, three on either side of the Jordan, 
to which manslayers unawares- might flee from the 
avenger until he could stand before the congregation and 
his offense be judged. 

In the matter of the division of the promised land 
among the families of the children of Israel, in considera- 
tion that they go over the Jordan with their armies and 
war with the rest of Israel in subduing the inhabitants 
and possessing that part of the promised land lying on the 
west side of the Jordan, Moses, in his -lifetime, gave 
to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and one-half of the tribe 
of ^lanasseh that part of the promised land lying on the 
east side of Jordan, and appointed three cities of refuge 
therein; — Bezer in the wilderness, the plain country of 
Reubenites, Ramath in Gilead of the Gadites, and Galan 
in Bashan of the Manassites. 

On the first day of the eleventh month of the fortieth 
year in the plain over against the Red sea in the wilder- 
ness on the east side of the Jordan, Moses addressed the 
children of Israel, relating to them all that the Lord had 
given to him in commandment, and besought the Lord 
to permit him to go over and see the good land beyond the 
Jordan, that goodly mountain and Lebanon, but the Lord 
was wroth with Closes and would not hear him. 

Calling Moses into the top of Mount Pisgah, the Lord 
showed him the land and directed, that he should charge, 
encourage, and strengthen Joshua who should go over 

[152] 



before the people and cause them to inherit the land which 
he saw. 

Moses exhorted the people to obedience in all he had 
taught them, requesting that they neither add to or 
diminish the word which he commanded them, and told 
them, the Lord God would raise up unto them a prophet 
from their midst and of their brethren like unto him, 
and unto him they should hearken. 

After these things, the Lord called Moses into the 
mountain Abariam unto Nebo in the land of Moab over 
against Jericho, where Moses beheld the land of Canaan, 
died, and was gathered unto his people. The Mount of 
Nebo is the top of Pisgah. It is stated, that Moses was 
one hundred twenty years old when he died; that at the 
time Moses died, his eye was not dim nor his natural 
strength abated ; that the Lord buried Moses in the valley 
of the land of Moab over against Beth-peor but no man 
kno^yeth of his sepulcher. 

Joshua to the Judges 

After the death of Moses, under the direction of the 
Lord, Joshua became the leader of the people and com- 
manded them to prepare to pass over the Jordan within 
three days and possess the promised land. 

Preparatory to passing over the Jordan, Joshua sent 
two men to spy out Jericho. These spies entering Jeri- 
cho took lodging in the house of an harlot namer Rahab. 
The presence of the spies in the city and in the house of 
Rahab being discovered, the king sent to Rahab to bring 
them out, but she hid them and was able for a time to 
deceive the king so that the spies got away. 

Learning the object of the visit of the spies to the 

[153] 



city, Rahab exacted a promise from them, that in the 
destruction of the city she and her house should be spared. 
During the night she let them down from the roof of 
her house, which was built upon the wall, and they 
escaped to the mountains where they hid for three days 
and returned to Joshua, telling him all that had happened. 

As Joshua had requested, the people came to Jordan 
and lodged for three days. Selecting a man from each 
tribe, the priests took the Ark and went before the people 
to the Jordan. The waters were cut off and stood in a 
heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan. 
The priests, passing in, stood firm in the midst of the 
Jordan while the people passed over on dry land. The 
twelve men took twelve stones, out of the midst of the 
Jordan where the priests stood firm and carried them to 
the place where they lodged that night for a memorial 
unto the children of Israel forever. And Joshua set. up 
twelve stones in the midst of Jordan where the feet of 
the priests stood. 

It is stated, that about forty thousand Israelites passed 
over the Jordan to the plains of Jericho prepared for 
war; that, when the priests came up out of the Jordan, 
the waters returned unto their place and flowed as they 
did before; that they camped in Gilgal in the east border 
of Jericho, and pitched the twelve stones in Gilgal as a 
memorial; that, when the kings heard all that had been 
done, their hearts melted and they lost spirit; that, under 
the direction of the Lord, Joshua circumcised again the 
children of Israel at the hill of the foreskin, because those 
that were born in the wilderness were not circumcised: 
that the children of Israel remained in camp at Gilgal 
and kept the passover, eating of the old corn of the land ; 

[154] 



and that the manna ceased and they ate of the fruit 
of the land that year. 

The captain of the Lord's hosts coming and standing 
before Joshua with his sword drawn, commanded that 
Joshua remove the shoes from off his feet, stating that the 
place whereon he stood was holy ground; that seven 
priests bear seven trumpets before the Ark and, with 
the people, go round about the city once a day for six 
days, and the seventh day compass the city seven times, 
and the priests blow with the trumpets, making a long 
blast, and the people shout and the walls would fall 
down; and that each man should then ascend straight 
before himself. 

They did as the captain of the Lord had bidden, and 
took the city, destroying all that was in it, the men and 
women young and old except Rahab and her house which 
they brought out, with the ox, the ass, and the sheep, 
and, taking the silver and gold, the vessels of brass and 
of iron, and putting them in the treasury of the house 
of the Lord, they burnt the city with fire. Rahab the 
harlot and her father's household dwelled in Israel, be- 
cause she hid the messengers. 

After the destruction of the city of Jericho, Joshua 
decreed, saying, ''Cursed be the man that riseth up and 
buildeth the city of Jericho. He shall lay the founda- 
tions thereof in his firstborn and in his youngest son shall 
he set up the gates of it. 

At the fall of Jericho, a member of the tribe of Judah 
named Achan took of the Babylonians two hundred 
shekels of silver and fifty shekels of gold, burying them 
under his tent. Joshua sent an army against Ai and it 
met with defeat, losing thirty-six men. In searching for 

[155] 



the cause of Joshua's defeat, they found Achan's gold and 
silver buried under his tent and, thus discovering Achan's 
sin, and attributed that as the cause of Joshua's defeat, 
declaring that the hearts of the people melted and became 
as water because of the sin of Achan. Achan, his house, 
and all that he had were stoned and burnt in the valley 
which was called the valley of Achan, raising over him 
a great heap of stones. It is stated that after this Joshua 
took and destroyed Ai, letting none escape. That they 
hanged the king on a tree until the evening, threw his car- 
cass at the entrance of the gate to the city and raised there- 
on a great heap of stones, and, taking the spoil of the city 
unto themselves, burnt Ai and made it a heap forever. 

When the kings of the country heard what Joshua 
had done to Jericho and Ai, they combined their forces 
to fight him. 

The inhabitants of Gibeon, disguising themselves as 
embassadors and coming to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, 
and representing themselves to have come from a far 
country to be servants of the Lord his God, procured 
Joshua to make a peace league, to let them live, which 
was sealed by the oath of the princes of the congregation. 
At the end of three days, the deception of this people 
was discovered. 

In Mount Ebal, Joshua built an altar of whole stones 
and wrote thereon a copy of the Law of Moses. 

The children of Israel, journeying, came unto the 
cities of the Gibeonites on the third day. Because of the 
peace league, the children of Israel did not smite the 
Gibeonites, but, because they had beguiled the children 
of Israel, they were made hewers of wood and drawers 
of water for the house of the Lord. 

[156] 



When Adoni-zedec, king of Jerusalem, heard how 
Joshua had taken and destroyed Ai and Jericho with their 
kings ; that the inhabitants of Gibeon, who were very 
great, had made peace with Israel and were among them ; 
he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a very great city 
and all the men thereof were mighty. The king of Jeru- 
salem combined with the other four kings of the Amor- 
ites, the kings of Hebron, Jormuth, Lachish, and Eglon, 
and made war against Gibeon. At the request of Gibeon, 
Joshua went up from Gilgal to Gibeon and slew their 
enemies with great slaughter and, chasing them along the 
way to Beth-horan, the Lord cast down from heaven great 
stones upon the fleeing enemy so that more died from 
hailstones than were killed with the sword. 

On the day of the battle at Gibeon, in the presence of 
Israel, Joshua commanded and the sun stood still upon 
Gibeon, and the moon in the valley of Ajalon stayed 
until the people had avenged themselves upon their en- 
emies about the space of a day, and the Israelites returned 
to the camp at Gilgal. 

It is related that the five kings who fought against 
Gibeon fled and hid in a cave at Makkedah which was 
told to Joshua; that Joshua had great stones rolled upon 
the mouth of the cave and kept watch ; that the Amorites 
that remained entered into fenced cities and the Israelites 
went unto Joshua at Makkedah; that they brought out 
the five kings and hung them upon five trees until the 
evening, and, casting their bodies into the cave, they laid 
great stones in its mouth ; that they utterly destroyed 
Makkedah, its king, and all the souls that were therein. 

The Israelites, passing from Makkedah, came first 
to Libnah, next to Lachish, then to Eglon, and finally to 

[157] 



Hebron, utterly destroying these as they went; and re- 
turning they took the king and all the cities of Debir, de- 
stroying all the souls that were therein. Thus Joshua 
smote all the country of the hills, of the south, of the 
vale, of the springs, and all the kings, utterly destroying 
all that breathed from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, 
and they returned unto the camp at Gilgal. 

When Jabin, king of Hazor heard these things he 
assembled all the remaining kings of the land — Canaanite, 
Amorite, Hittite, Perizite, Jebusite, Hivite — and they 
came in great multitudes, as the sand upon the sea shore, 
pitching together at the waters of Meram, to fight against 
Israel. Joshua with all hosts came and, falling upon them 
suddenly, smote them until none remained. Thus Joshua 
utterly destroyed them as Moses commanded, leaving 
nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded JNIoses. 

Joshua took all the lands — the hills, the mountains, 
the valleys, the plains, the mountain of Israel and the 
valley of the same — from Mount Malak to Baal-gad in 
the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon. The only 
city making peace with Israel was the Hittites the inhabit- 
ants of Gibeon, the others being taken in battle. It is 
stated that the Lord hardened the hearts of these people, 
to come against Israel in battle, that he mighty destroy 
them utterly ; that the Ahakims were cut off and destroyed 
with their cities until there were none of them left in 
Gaza, Goth, and Ashdad ; that thus Joshua took the whole 
land and gave it for an inheritance unto Israel; and that 
the land rested from war. 

Moses took the country on the east side of the Jordan 
from two kings and Joshua took it from thirty-one kings 
on the other side of Jordan. 

[ 158 ] 



The inheritances of Levi was the Lord and his sacri- 
fices. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of 
Manasseh had been given their inheritance on the east 
side of Jordan and the other nine and one-half tribes 
were located on the other side of the Jordan, receiving 
their inheritance by lot except Caleb who wholly fol- 
lowed the Lord God of Israel and by privilege obtained 
Hebron which had been called Kirjath-arba. 

The tabernacle was set up at Shiloh. The children of 
Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua, and the three cities 
of refuge on that side of the Jordan were appointed — 
Kedesh in Mount Naphtali in Galilee, Shechem in Mount 
Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the 
Mount of Judah. Out of their inheritance, the children 
of Israel gave unto the Levites, by lot, forty cities to 
dwell in and their suburbs for their cattle. 

Having grown old and stricken with age, Joshua called 
all Israel together at Shechem and, exhorting them to be 
of good courage, to keep the Law of Moses, and cleave 
unto the Lord their God, he told them, that if they should 
go back to the remnant of the nations that remained 
among them and make images such would be snares and 
traps unto them, scourges in their sides, and thorns in 
their eyes until they perish from off this good land; 
that he was going the way of all the earth; that all had 
come to pass without one thing failing; and said, ''Thus 
saith the Lord God of Israel : 

"Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in 
old time, even Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, 
and they served other gods. I took your father Abraham 
from the other side of the flood and led him thru all the 
land of Canaan, multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. 

[159] 



Unto Isaac, I gave Jacob and Esau. Unto Esau, I gave 
mount Seir to possess it, but Jacob and his children 
went down into Egypt. I sent Moses and Aaron and 
plagued Egypt, and brought your fathers out to the Red 
sea where they camped. When the Egyptians pursued, 
you cried unto the Lord and He, putting darkness be- 
tween you and the Egyptians, brought the sea upon the 
Egyptians, covering them over. Your eyes have seen 
what I have done in Egypt. You dwelt in the wilderness 
a long season and I brought you into the land of the 
Amorites on the other side of the Jordan, giving the 
Amorites into your hand that ye might possess their land. 
I delivered you out of the hand of Balak who thot to 
have Balaam curse you. You went over Jordan and came 
unto Jericho which I delivered with the Amorites, the 
Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Gergashites, 
the Hivites, and the Jebusites into your hand. I sent 
the hornet before you which drove them out from before 
you, even the two kings of the Amorites, but not with the 
sword nor with the bow. I have given you a land for 
which you did not labor, cities which you built not, and 
vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not. Now, 
therefore, fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and 
in truth, putting away the gods which your fathers 
served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt, and 
serve ye the Lord. If it seem evil unto you to serve the 
Lord, choose ye this day whom ye will serve, whether 
the gods which your fathers served, that were on the 
other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in 
whose land ye dwell; as for me and my house, we will 
serve the Lord." 

And the people answered and said, *'God forbid that 

[160] 



we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gOds; for 
the Lord our God, he it is that brot us up and our fathers 
out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and 
which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us 
in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people 
thru whom we passed : and the Lord drove out from be- 
fore us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt 
in the land : therefore will we also serve the Lord ; for 
he is our God." 

And Joshua said unto the people, "Ye cannot serve the 
Lord : for he is an holy God ; he is a jealous God ; he will 
not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you 
forsake the Lord and serve strange gods, then he will turn 
and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he has 
done you good." And the people said unto Joshua, "Nay ; 
but we will serve the Lord." And Joshua said unto the 
people, "Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have 
chosen you the Lord, to serve him." And they said, 
"We are witnesses." 

"Now therefore put away," said he, "the strange gods 
which are among you and incline your heart unto the 
Lord God of Israel." And the people said unto Joshua, 
"The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we 
obey." So Johsua made a covenant with the people that 
day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 
And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the Law 
of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under 
an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And 
Joshua said unto all the people, "Behold, this stone 
shall be a witness unto us ; for it hath heard all the words 
of the Lord which he spake unto us : it shall be therefore 
a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. 

[161] 



So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his 
inheritance. And it came to pass, after these things, 
that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died 
being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried 
him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, 
which is in Mount Ephriam, on the north side of the 
hill of Gaash. And Israel served the Lord all the days of 
Joshua, and all the days of the Elders that overlived 
Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, 
that he had done for Israel. 

And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel 
had brot up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in 
a piece of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of 
Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of 
silver; and it became the inheritance of the children 
of Joseph. 

And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried 
him in the hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which 
was given him in Mount Ephraim. 

After the death of Joshua, the Lord told the children 
of Israel, that he had chosen Judah to go up against the 
Canaanites to fight against them; that He had delivered 
the land into his hand. 

Judah asked and Simeon joined Judah in his lot 
against the Canaanites, and the Canaanites were delivered 
into their hands. In Bezek, they slew ten thousand men, 
cut off the thumbs and great toes of Adonibezek, and 
brought him to* Jerusalem where he died. 

They took Jerusalem, setting it on fire, and fought 
against the Canaanites, in the mountain, in the south land, 
and in the valley. In Hebron, they slew Sheshai, Ahiman, 
Tilmai, and went against Debir, which was before Kir- 

[162] 



jath-sepher. Debir was smitten and taken by Othniel 
the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, to whom Caleb 
gave his daughter Achsah to wife, bestoying upon her 
a south land, the upper springs, and the nether springs. 

The children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went 
up out of the city of palmtrees with the children of Judah 
into the wilderness of Judah in the south of Arad and 
dwelt among the people. 

It is related, that Judah could not drive out the inhab- 
itants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron; 
that Hebron was given unto Caleb, and he expelled the 
three sons of Anak; that the children of Benjamin did 
not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem, and 
they dwelt there with the children of Benjamin ; that the 
house of Joseph smote Beth-el — formerly Luz — letting 
a certain man escape, as a reward for directing them to 
the entrance of the city, who went into the land of the 
Hittites and built a city which he named Luz; that the 
Canaanites dwelt with Manasseh, but he put them to 
tribute ; that, likewise, the Canaanites dwelt with Ephraim 
in Gezer, and with Zebulum but they became tributaries; 
that Asher and Naphtali dwelt among the Canaanites but 
the Cannanites became tributaries unto them; that the 
Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain, 
not suffering them to come down into the valley, but the 
children of Dan finally overcame the Amorites and they 
became tributaries. 

The Lord was displeased with the relations of the 
children of Israel with the inhabitants of the land, and 
declared that the inhabitants of the land should be as 
thorns in their sides and their gods a snare unto them; 

[163] 



and the people wept, and called the name of that place 
Bochim. 

The days, and the knowledge, of Joshua having long 
since passed away, there grew up a new generation who 
knew not the Lord nor the works he had done for Israel 
and they served Baalim and did evil in the sight of the 
Lord. They followed the gods of the people who were 
around them, serving Baal and Ashtaroth, and the Lord 
delivered them into the hand of the spoiler, sold them into 
the hand of their enemies, and they were greatly distressed. 
The Lord raised up judges to deliver them, but they would 
not harken unto the judges, going whoring after other 
gods. The judges died, the people corrupted themselves 
more than their fathers, and the Lord, that he might 
prove Israel, refused to drive out the people from before 
the children of Israel. 

Judges to the First King, Saul 

The children of Israel, dwelling among the Canaanites, 
took Canaanitish daughters to be their wives and gave 
their daughters to be wives of the sons of the Canaanites, 
and served the Canaanite gods. The children of Israel 
forgot their God, served Baalim and the groves, and the 
Lord sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim, 
king of Mesopotamia, whom they served eight years. 

The Lord raised up a deliverer, in the person of 
Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, upon 
whom the spirit of the Lord came and he judged Israel, 
freeing them from their bondage, and the land had rest 
forty years. 

After the death of Othniel, the children of Israel 
again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and He strength- 

[164] 



ened Eglon the king of Moab who gathered the children 
of Ammon and Amalek to him and smote the children of 
Israel, possessed the city of palm trees, and the children 
of Israel served Eglon eighteen years. 

Again the Lord raised up a deliverer for the children 
of Israel, in the person of Ehud the son of Gera a Ben- 
jaminite. It is related, that Ehud was lefthanded; that 
Eglon was a very fat man; that the children of Israel sent 
Ehud to Eglon with a present, which was represented as 
a present from God, and while Ehud was in the presence 
of Eglon he with his left hand plunged a dagger into 
the body of Eglon and Eglon died. Ehud, escaping to 
Seirath, gathered the people together and took the fords 
of Jordan toward Moab, suffering no man to pass over. 
It is stated, that he slew about ten thousand lusty men of 
valor; that Moab was subdued that day; and that the 
land had rest eighty years. 

Shamgar the son of Anath, who slew six hundred 
Philistines with an ox goad, succeeded Ehud, and he also 
delivered Israel. 

After the death of Ehud, the children of Israel again 
did evil in the sight of the Lord, and were sold into the 
hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, who oppressed them for 
twenty years. 

During the time of the oppression under Jabin, De- 
borah the wife of Lopidoth, a prophetess, judged Israel. 
She dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah 
and Beth-el in Mount Ephriam, and the children of Israel 
came up to her for judgment. She gave directions to 
Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-Naphtali, and 
he smote the army of Jabin, and subdued him before the 
children of Israel. On that day, Deborah and Barak 

[165] 



sang praises unto the Lord for the avenging of Israel, 
saying, ''When the Lord went out of Seir, the field of 
Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens dropped, and 
the clouds dropped water, and Mount Sinai melted before 
the Lord of Israel. 

"In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days 
of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, who killed Sisera, 
the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked 
thru byways. The inhabitants of the villages ceased, 
they ceased in Israel, until that I, Deborah, arose a mother 
in Israel. 

''They chose new gods and there was war in the 
gates. Speak ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in 
judgment, and walk by the way. Arise Barak and 
lead thy captivity captive thou son of Abinoam. Then 
he made him that remaineth have dominion over the 
noble among the people, making me have dominion over 
the mighty. 

"Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against 
Amalek, after thee, Benjamin, among the people; out of 
Machil came down governors, and out of Zebulum they 
that handle the pen of the writer. 

"The princes of Issacher were with Deborah, even 
Issacher and also Barak who was sent on foot into the 
valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great 
thots of heart. Why abodest thou among the sheep- 
folds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divis- 
ions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 

"Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan 
remain in ships? Asher continued on the seashore, and 
abode in his breaches. Zebulum and Naphtali were a 

[166] 



people that jeoparded their Hves unto the death in the 
high places of the field. 

"The kings came and fought, then fought the kings 
of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo ; they 
took no gain of money. They fought from heaven; the 
stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 

"The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient 
river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden 
down strength. 

"Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse 
ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they come 
not to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Blessed 
above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, 
blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 

"He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brot 
forth butter in a lordly dish. She put her hand to the 
nail, and her right hand to the workman's hammer; and 
with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his 
head, when she had pierced and stricken thru his temples. 
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet 
he bowed, he fell : where he bowed, there he fell down 
dead. The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and 
cried thru the lattice. Why is his chariot so long in com- 
ing? Why tarry the wheels of his chariot? 

"So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord : but let them 
that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his 
might." And, it is stated, the land had rest forty years. 

After this, the children of Israel did evil in the sight 
of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand 
of Midian seven years. The hand of Midian prevailing 
against Israel, they made them the dens which are in the 
mountain, and caves and strongholds. When Israel had 

[167] 



sown, the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the children of 
the cast came and encamped up against them, destroying 
the increase of the earth, and leaving no sustenance for 
Israel : for both they and their camels were without num- 
ber, and they entered into the land to destroy it. Israel 
was greatly impoverished and cried unto the Lord. The 
Lord sent a prophet, who told the children of Israel of 
their disobediences, and called and prepared Gideon, the 
son of Joash, to save Israel and smite the ^lidianites. 

Gideon cast down the altar of Baal which his father 
had and cut down the grove that was by it, and building 
an altar unto the Lord upon the top of the rock in the 
ordered place, offered sacrifice. And Gideon was called 
Jerrubbaal. 

Gideon subdued the Alidianites and captured Zebah 
and Zalm.unna who said, the manner of men they slew at 
Tabar was as Gideon, each one resembling the child of 
a king. Gideon said they were his brethren. He slew 
the prisoners and took away the ornaments that were on 
their camiel's neck. Gideon refused to become a ruler 
over Israel and declared the Lord should rule over them. 

Out of the gold earrings taken as prey, Gideon made 
an cphod which he put in the cit}^ Ophrah and it became a 
snare unto him and his house. He dwelt in his own house 
and the country was quiet for forty years in the days of 
Gideon. 

It is stated, that Gideon had many wives ; that there 
were seventy sons of his body begotten; that his concu- 
bine in Shechem also bear him a son who he named 
Abimelech; that Gi.leon died in a good old age, and was 
buried in the sepulcher of his father Joash in Ophrah 
of the Abiezrites. 

[168] 



It is related that after the death of Gideon, the chil- 
dren of Israel turned again to Baalim, made Baal-berith 
their god, and remembered not the Lord their God who 
had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies, 
neither showed they kindness to the house of Gideon; 
that Abimelech entered into a conspiracy with the She- 
chemites his mother's brethren, whereby his brethren the 
sons of Gideon seventy persons were slain upon one 
stone all except Jotham the youngest son who hid him- 
self ; and the Shechemites, with the house of Millo, came 
and made Abimelech king by the plain of the pillar that 
was in Shechem. 

When Jotham heard that Abimelech was made king, 
he stood in the top of Mount Gerrizim and, commanding 
the men of Shechem, said, ''The trees went out on a 
time to anoint a king over them: they first asked the 
olive tree to reign over them, but it said, 'Should I leave 
my fatness wherewith by me they honor God and man, 
and go to be promoted over the trees?' They asked 
the fig tree, but it said, 'Should I forsake my sweetness 
and my good fruit, to be promoted over the trees ?' They 
asked the vine, and it said, 'Should' I leave my wine which 
cheereth God and man, to be promoted over trees?' Then 
said all the trees unto the bramble, 'Come thou and reign 
over us,' and it said, 'If in truth ye anoint me king over 
you, come and put your trust in my shadow, and if not, 
let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars 
of Lebanon.' " And Jotham pronounced a curse upon 
them. 

When Abimelech had reigned three years, God sent 
an evil spirit between him and the men of Shechem that 
the blood of the sons of Gideon might be avenged. The 

[169] 



men of Shechem, dwelt treacherously with Abimelech. 
Putting their confidence in Gaal the son of Ebed, they 
cursed Abimelech, forfeited the city against him, and 
made merry with Gaal. Abimelech came to Shechem, 
beat down the city, and slew the people therein, sowing 
it with salt. At Thebez he beseiged the tower and lost 
his life by a woman dropping a piece of millstone, from 
the tower, upon his head. Thus Abimelech's wickedness, 
in slaying his seventy brethren, was rendered upon him, 
and the curse of Jotham was rendered upon the heads of 
the men of Shechem. 

After Abimelech, there arose Tola a man of Issachar, 
who judged Israel twenty years. Next came Jair a Gil- 
eadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. Jair had 
thirty sons who rode on thirty ass colts and they had 
thirty cities which are called Havoth-Jair, and are in the 
land of Gilead. 

After this the children of Israel again served Baalim 
and Ashtoroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Zidon, 
the gods of Moab, the gods of the children of Ammon, 
and the gods of the Philistines, forsaking the Lord; 
and the Lord sold them into the hands of the Philistines 
and the children of Ammon who oppressed the children 
of Israel eighteen years. 

Those on the other side of Jordan in the land of the 
Amorites which is in Gilead, passed over Jordan and op- 
pressed Benjamin and the house of Ephraim who cried 
unto the Lord, but he refused to deliver them and said, 
"Go, cry unto the gods which you have chosen, let them 
deliver you in the time of your tribulation." Putting 
away the strange gods from among them, they again 

[170] 



cried unto the Lord and his soul was grieved for the 
misery of Israel. 

One Jephthah a Gileadite, the son of an harlot, was 
selected by the elders of Gilead to go against the children 
of Ammon, and he subdued them before the children of 
Israel. Before going to battle, Jephthah called upon and 
promised the Lord, that if He would give him the vic- 
tory he would sacrifice to Him the first thing that met 
him on his return home. His only child, a daughter, 
having heard of her father's victory and seeing him re- 
turning home, ran joyfully and with dancings to meet and 
greet him; and Jephthah was very sorrowful because of 
his vow. He told his daughter of his vow and she as- 
sented to its fulfilment, but asked that he let her alone for 
two months that she might go up and down the mountains 
and bewail her virginity, and he sent her away for two 
months. She went with her companions and bewailed her 
virginity upon the mountains for the two months and 
returned to her father, that he might perform his vow, 
she having known no man. From this historical event 
grew the custom in Israel for the daughters to go yearly 
to lament the daughter of Jephthah four days in the year. 

Because Jephthah did not ask the men of Ephraim to 
participate in the fights against the Amorites, the Eph- 
raimites claimed that the Gileadites w^ere fugitives among 
the Ephraimites and Manassites and, going up against 
them, were smitten. The men of Gilead took the pas- 
sage of Jordan and, of those that had escaped, slew forty- 
two thousand Ephraimites. 

After judging Israel for six years, Jephthah died, 
and one Ibzan of Beth-lehem succeeded him as judge 
of Israel. Ibzan had thirty sons and thirty daughters, 

ri71] 



and he sent the sons abroad for wives. Ibzan judged 
Israel seven years and died and was buried in Beth- 
lehem. Ibzan was succeeded by Elon as judge of Israel. 
Elon judged Israel ten years and died. Abdon, the son of 
Hillel a Pirathonite, followed Elon as judge of Israel for 
eight years and he died. Abdon had forty sons and 
thirty nephews who rode on seventy ass colts. 

After this, the children of Israel again did evil in 
the sight of the Lord and he delivered them into the hands 
of the Philistines for the space of forty years. 

There was a man named Manvah, a Danite unto 
whose wife, she being barren, an angel appeared and 
told her, she should bear a son; that her son should 
not drink wine nor strong drink, nor eat anythink un- 
clean; that no razor should come Aipon the head of her 
son, for the child should be a Nazarene unto God to the 
day of his death; and that he should begin to deliver 
Israel out of the hands of the Philistines. The angel 
appeared the second time and confirmed the first mes- 
sage, and then ascended in the flame of a sacrifice. 

It is related, that this woman bear a son she named 
Samson; that he grew and the spirit of the Lord began 
to move him at times in the camp of Dan ; that, when he 
grew, Samson desired a certain Philistine w^oman for 
his wife and with his father and mother, went to the 
vineyard at Timnath to get her. On the way down, 
'while wondering thru a byway away from his parents, 
Samson was roared against by a young lion which he 
rent as a kid. They made the preliminary arrangements 
for the woman to become Samson's wife and returned 
to their home. 

Later, when Samson was returning to Timnath to get 

[172] 



his wife, he turned aside to see the hon he had killed, 
and found a sworm of bees and some honey in the car- 
cass of the lion. He took of the honey and ate of it, and 
gave of it to his father and mother and they ate of it, 
but he told them not. 

On arriving at Timnath, as the young men used to do, 
Samson made a marriage feast and they brot thirty com- 
panions to be with him. To these companions Samson 
propounded a riddle saying, "Out of the eater came forth 
meat, and out of strong came forth sweetness ;" and said, 
if they should declare it unto him within the seven days 
of the feast he would give them thirty sheets and thirty 
changes of garments, but if they did not declare it unto 
him, they should give him thirty sheets and thirty changes 
of garments. 

On the seventh day, not being able to declare the 
riddle, by threats they induced his wife, to entice Samson 
and declare his riddle unto them, and they said unto 
Samson, "What is sweeter than honey and what stronger 
than a lion?" Samson said unto them, "If you had not 
plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle." 

It is related, that, the spirit of the Lord coming upon 
him, Samson went down to Ashkelon, slew thirty men, 
took their spoil, and gave changes of garments to them 
who expounded the riddle ; that, his anger being kindled 
against his wife, Samson returned to his father's house 
without her, and she was given to the companion whom 
Samson had used as his friend. 

After a while, being minded to visit his wife, Samson 
took a kid and went to her father's house, but her father 
would not deliver her to Samson, saying, that he thot 
Samson hated her and gave her to his companion; and, 

[173] 



instead of her, offered Samson her younger sister who 
was more beautiful. 

The time of Samson's visit to get his wife was in 
wheat harvest, and Samson, offended at his treatment, 
caught three hundred foxes, fastened them tail to tail, 
and putting firebrands between each two tails, let them go 
into the standing corn, burning up the shocks, the standing 
corn, the vineyards, and the olives. For this ofifense, the 
Philistines burned Samson's wife and her father with fire. 
Samson smote the Philistines hip and thigh with great 
slaughter, and went down and dwelt in the top of the 
rock -Etam. 

The Philistines, being their rulers, searched Judah 
and Lehi to find Samson, and the men of Judah, fearing 
the Philistines, had Samson bound preparatory to his 
delivery unto the Philistines. It is stated, that, when 
he was brounght unto Lehi, the spirit of the Lord came 
upon Samson and, the cords becoming as burnt flax and 
the bands loosening from his hands, he slew one thousand 
men with the jaw bone of an ass; that, becoming athirst, 
Samson called upon the name of the Lord and water came 
out of the jaw bone of the ass; that, when he drank of 
this water, his spirit came again and he judged Israel 
twenty years. 

It is related that Samson went to Gaza and stayed 
with an harlot; that the Gazites had the harlot seek out 
the secret of Samson's strength; that she discovered 
that his strength lie in the fact, that he had never been 
shaven, but had been a Nazarite unto God from his 
birth; and she put him to sleep upon her knees, had his 
seven locks shaven off his head, and his strength went 
from him. After this, the Philistines took him, put out his 

[174] 



eyes, and brought him to Gaza where they bound him 
with fetters of brass and required him to grind in the 
prison-house. 

It came to pass, that the hair of Samson's head began 
to grow again, after it was shaven and his strength to 
return; that the PhiHstines gathered for a great sacri- 
fice unto their god, for the dehverance of Samson their 
enemy into their hands ; that they made merry and called 
Samson to make them sport, setting him between the 
two pillars that held up the house; and that there were 
about three thousand men and women gathered in the 
house to behold Samson's sport: and, taking hold of the 
pillars, Samson called upon the name of the Lord, bowed 
himself with all his might, and the house fell upon him 
and all the people, so that those he slew at his death were 
more than those he slew in his life. Then his brethren 
and all the house of his father came and got him and 
buried him between Zorah and Esthal. 

It is related, that, in the days of no kings, there was a 
man in Mount Ephraim named Micah whose mother 
had made, from two hundred Shekels of silver, a graven 
and a molton image which were in the house of Micah; 
that Micah had a house of gods, and making an ephod and 
taraphim, he consecrated one of his sons his priest. 

There was a young man a Levite, out of Beth-lehem- 
judah, of the family of Judah who came to the house of 
Micah and became his priest in his house. The Danites, 
seeking an inheritance, sent out five men to spy out the 
country who lodged in the house of Micah and knew 
the young men. These men came to Laish where the 
people dwelt careless and secure and, seeing that this was 
a large land and a place where there was no want for 

[175] 



anything that is in the earth, they returned to bring the 
tribe. 

The tribe of Dan in its journey pitched first in Kir- 
jath-jearim in Judah and called the place Mahaneh-dan. 
They came into Mount Ephraim unto the house of Micah 
and, taking the carved image, the ephod, the taraphim, 
the molton image, and the young priest who was glad to 
go, came unto Laish a people quiet and secure and smote 
them with the edge of the sword and, burning the city 
in the valley by Beth-rehob with fire, they built a city they 
called Dan and dwelt therein. They set up the graven 
image and made Jonathan the son of Creshon the son of 
Manasseh and his sons priests of the tribe of Dan all the 
time the house of God was in Shiloh. 

It came to pass, that a certain Levite of Mount Eph- 
raim took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem- judah 
who returned to her father's house, and, after four 
months, the Levite went for her. After five days rest, 
he started to return with her. They passed Jebus, which 
is Jerusalm, as a city of strangers and, coming to Gibeah, 
which belongs to Benjamin, they lodged in the house of a 
friend. 

As they were making merry, certain men of the city, 
sons of Belial, called for the Levite, that they might 
know him, and he delivered unto them his concubine, 
whom they abused the entire night, and the next morn- 
ing she lay dead upon the threshhold of the house. The 
Levite found her lying dead upon the threshhold of the 
house the next morning and, taking her upon the ass, 
he brought her to his house, divided her body into twelve 
parts, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel. This 

[ 176 ] 



offence was considered and declared to be the worst 
since they came up out of Egypt. 

The people said one to another, ''Consider of this 
oft'ence, and take advise and speak your minds." They 
rose as one man and went up against Gibeah, and de- 
manded of Benjamin, that they deliver unto them the 
men, the children of BeHal, that they might be put to 
death, but they would not barken unto them. The 
people of Israel went to battle with the children of Ben- 
jamin and lost forty thousand in the first two days, but 
on the third day, the children of Benjamin were delivered 
into their hands, and they slew of the children of Ben- 
jamin, twenty-five thousand one hundred men. 

It is related, that six hundred of the childern of Ben- 
jamin fled to the wilderness and abode in the rock Rim- 
mon four months when the children of Israel again smote 
the children of Benjamin, smiting the men of every city, 
the beasts and all that came to hand, and set fire to every 
city they came to. It repenting them for Benjamin their 
brother, they asked God, "Why it had come to pass that 
there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?" They said, 
"There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. What 
shall we do for wives for them that remain? seeing our 
oath, that we will not give our daughters unto Benjamin." 

The penalty of death had been declared against any 
tribe not coming up to the Lord, to Mizpeh, and, learning 
that none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead were there, 
they sent and sm.ote every male, and every female that 
had known a man by lying with him, and the children, 
leaving four hundred young virgins who they brot unto 
the camp at Shiloh, giving them to wife to the children 
of Benjamin who were in the rock Rimmon, but they 

r 177 1 



did not suffice. They directed the remainder of the 
children of Benjamin to lie in wait at the feast near 
Beth-el, and when the daughters came out in dances 
to catch, every man, a wife. The children of Ben- 
jamin did as they were told and, getting each a wife, 
they went to the land of Benjamin, repaired the cities, 
and dwelt therein, that the tribe of Benjamin be not 
destroyed out of Israel. 

In the days when judges ruled in Israel, it came to 
pass that there was a famine in the land of Elimelech, 
and Elimelech, taking his wife Naomi and his two 
sons Mahlon and Chilion, all Ephrathites of Beth-lehem 
judah, came into the country of Moab, where Elimelech 
died and his two sons took wives of the women of Moab. 
Mahlon's wife was named Orpah and Chilion's wife 
was named Ruth. After about ten years, Mahlon and 
Chilion had died and the three women left widows. 
Naomi took Ruth and returned into the land of Judah, 
coming to Beth-lehem where Boaz, who was of the family 
of Elimelech and kinsman of Naomi's deceased husband, 
afterwards, took Ruth to wife and she bear a son they 
named Obed. Obed became the father of Jesse who was 
the father of David who became the king of Israel. 

One Elkanah of Ramathaim-Ziphim, an Ephrathite, 
had two wives Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had 
children but Hannah was barren. Hannah, being grieved 
because of her barrenness, prayed to the Lord, received a 
blessing, and bear a son they named Samuel, Hannah con- 
secrated Samuel to the Lord and he ministered before 
EH the priest in the Temple of the Lord. Samuel grew, 
and the Lord was with him and revealed Himself to him 



[178] 



in Shiloh, by the word of the Lord, and the word of 
Samuel came to all Israel. 

It is related, that Israel went to war with the Philis- 
tines and was smitten, loosing thirty thousand footmen 
and the sons of Eli and the Philistines took the Ark 
of the Covenant of God; that when he heard of all this, 
Eli fell backward and broke his neck, he being ninety- 
eight years old and having judged Israel forty years ; that 
when the wife of Phinchas the son of Eli heard of her 
husband's death and that the Ark had been taken, she gave 
birth to a son and died. They named the child Ichabod ; 
for the glory had departed from Israel, in the Ark of God 
being taken. 

It is stated, that wherever the Philistines took the 
Ark the people were destroyed and, after seven months, 
they sent the Ark back to its place, among the Israelites ; 
that when the Ark arrived, on its way, at Beth-shemesh 
they opened and looked into it, and the Lord smote 
fifty thousand and seventy of the men of Beth-shemesh, 
because they looked into the Ark of the Lord; and that, 
by direction of the Lord, the Ark was brot into the house 
of Abinadab in the hill where it abode for the space of 
twenty years. 

Under the direction of Samuel, the people of Israel 
put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among 
them, prepared their hearts unto the Lord, and served him 
only. All Israel gathered at Mizpeh, confessed their sins, 
and Samuel judged them in Mizpeh. The Philistines 
came against Israel at Mizpeh and Samuel prayed to the 
Lord, the Philistines were smitten from before Israel, and 
the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the 
days of Samuel. 

[179] 



There was peace between Israel and the Amorites, 
and Samuel, going in circuits from place to place and 
returning to Ramah his home, judged Israel all the days 
of his life. When Samuel was old, he made his two 
sons, Joel and Abeah, judges over Israel in Beer-sheba, 
but they walked not in the ways of their father Samuel 
turning aside after lucre, taking bribes, and perverting 
judgment. 

The elders of Israel came and, telling Samuel the 
ways of his sons, asked that he make them a king, to 
judge them like other nations. This displeased Samuel, 
and, under the Lord's directions, he told them all that 
would be done when a king ruled over them, but they in- 
sisted that they should have a king over them, that they 
might be like other nations. 

King Saul to Israel's Assyrian Captivity 

There was a Benjamite named Kish Avho had a son 
named Saul, a choice young man among the Israelites 
who, from his shoulders upward, was higher than any of 
the people. 

It is stated, that beforetime in Israel, when a man 
went to inquire of God, he said, ''Come let us go to the 
seer:" for he that was later called prophet was before- 
time called a seer. 

The asses belonging to the father of Saul became 
lost and Saul, with a servant, was sent to find them. 
After three days, having come into the land of Zuph, 
Saul was minded to turn back to go home when the 
servant suggested, they go into that city to the man of 
God, that he might show them their way. On their way 
up the hill to the city, they met young maidens coming 

[180] 



out to draw water, and inquired of them and were told, 
that the seer would be in the city that day to bless the 
sacrifice in the high place. 

It is stated, that the Lord had told Samuel, the day 
before, of Saul's coming, and that he should anoint him 
to be captain over the people of Israel. 

When Saul and the servant were coming into the 
city, on his way to the high place, Samuel met and told 
them he was the seer ; that they should go before him 
into the high place and eat with him that day, and on the 
morrow he would let them go; and that the asses had 
been found three days before. Samuel told Saul that all 
the desire of Israel was upon him and his father's house. 
Stating that he was of one of the smallest families of the 
tribe of Benjamin the smallest tribe in Israel, Saul asked 
Samuel why he should speak thus to him. 

Upon the top of the house, Samuel communed with 
Saul and, about the spring of the day, they went out 
abroad, and Samuel anointed Saul captain over the Lord's 
inheritance, telling him the word of the Lord. Samuel 
called the people of Israel together unto the Lord, to 
Mizpeh, and said, "See him whom the Lord has chosen :" 
and the people, accepting Saul, shouted, "God save the 
King." Samuel told the people the manner of the King- 
dom, wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord. 
Saul went home to Gibeah, and there went with him a 
band of men whose hearts God had touched. 

Nahash the Ammonite came against Jabesh-gilead and 
Saul, gathering the people — three hundred thirty thou- 
sand — to Bazek, advanced against and slew the Ammon- 
ites. Then, Samuel took the people to Gilgal, where they 

[ 181 ] 



renewed the kingdom by making Saul king, and they all 
rejoiced together. 

After these things, Samuel said to all the people, "The 
king walketh before you; I am old and grayheaded and 
my sons are with you; I have walked before you from 
my childhood, and ye have not found aught in my hand; 
it was the Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron and 
brought your fathers up out of Egypt: now, behold the 
king ye have chosen and whom ye have desired. The 
Lord has set a king over you." 

It is related that Jonathan the son of Saul, with one 
thousand men, smote the garrison of the Philistines in 
Geba; that the hosts of the Philistines gathered unto 
Michmash to fight with Israel ; and that the men of Israel 
hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in high places, in pits, 
and some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land 
of Gad and Gilead. 

It is stated, that Saul, having failed to keep the com- 
mandments of the Lord, was advised by Samuel, that his 
kingdom should not continue; that the Lord had found 
Him a man after His own heart and had commanded that 
this man be made captain over His people. 

Up to this time, having the rule over the children of 
Israel, the Philistines had not allowed the children of 
Israel to have any weapons and, in the days of battle, 
there was neither sword nor spear among them except 
with Saul and Jonathan. 

With faith in the Lord's assistance, Jonathan secretly 
went over to the garrison of the Philistines and alone 
commenced the slaughter. It came to pass, that the 
Philistine camp was shaken with an earthquake; that 
they destroyed one another ; and that, putting themselves 

[182] 



to rout, they melted away, and the Lord thus saved 
Israel that day. Saul took the kingdom over Israel an J. 
fought against his enemies on every side. The sons of 
Saul were Jonathan, Ishni, and Melchishna; and his 
daughters were Merab and Michal. 

We are told, that Saul was directed by the Lord to 
smite Amalek, and to spare neither man, woman, child, 
or beast; that he smote the Amalekites but took Agog 
the king alive, sparing him and the best of the sheep, 
oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good on pretense 
of sacrificing them to the Lord ; and that it repented the 
Lord that he had set up Saul to be king. 

Saul went to Carmel and, setting himself up a place 
there, passed down to Gilgal where Samuel told him, 
that it was better to obey than to sacrifice; that it was 
better to harken than the fat of rams : for rebellion was 
as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness was as iniq- 
uity and idolatry; that, because he had rejected the word 
of the Lord, the Lord had also rejected him from being 
king, and had given the kingdom to a neighbor who was 
better than he ; that the strength of Israel would not lie 
nor repent : for he was not a man that He should repent. 
Saul repented and worshipped God. Having Agog brot 
before him, Samuel hewed him in pieces before the Lord 
in Gilgal, and came to see Saul no more to the time of 
his death. 

Telling Samuel He had provided Himself a king from 
among the sons of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, the Lord sent 
Samuel to the house of Jesse, where, under the directions 
of the Lord, Samuel anointed David, the youngest son of 
Jesse, to be king. 

We are told, that David was a ruddy youth, and 

[ 183 ] 



withal of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look to; 
that the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that 
day; that the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and 
an evil spirit troubled him; that his servants, observing 
his evil spirit, advised Saul, to seek out a man cunning 
on the harp who, when the evil spirit was upon Saul, 
should play on the harp, and Saul would be well. 

Saul's servants told him of David, the son of Jesse, 
who, they said was cunning in playing, valiant and a man 
of war, prudent, comely in appearance, and that the Lord 
was with him. Saul sent for David and David came and 
stood before Saul. David was loved by Saul greatly and 
became Saul's armorbearer. When the evil spirit came 
upon Saul, David played the harp, the evil spirit departed 
from Saul, and he was well. 

It came to pass, that the PhiHstines gathered for 
battle against the Israelites; that the opposing armies 
were arrayed for battle upon the sides of two mountains, 
with a valley between them; that the champion of the 
Philistines came out all armored, and challenged the 
armies of the Israelites, to send out a man to fight him, 
and the people of the defeated party should be servants 
of the other; that this Philistine champion drew near 
morning and evening, and thus presented himself forty 
days; and that Saul and all Israel were dismayed and 
afraid. 

David had returned from King Saul's to keep his 
father's sheep. David's three elder brothers were with 
Saul, and Jesse sent David with supplies to his brethren 
in battle, and to see how they were faring and to take 
their pledge. 

When David arrived at the place of battle, he heard 

[184] 



the challenge of the champion of the Philistines and, 
learning that all the men of Israel fled from him, he 
asked, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he 
should defy the army of the living God?" 

David's words were rehearsed to Saul and Saul sent 
and had David brot before him. David said to Saul, 
"Let no man's heart fail because of this Philistine, and 
thy servant will go and fight with him." 

Saul discouraging him because of his youth, David 
told Saul of his killing a lion and a bear that took his 
father's sheep, and said, this uncircumcised Philistine 
should be as one of them, seeing he defied the armies 
of the Hving God; that the Lord who delivered into his 
hands the lion and the bear will deliver the Philistine 
into his hand. And refusing to put on armor, David took 
five smooth stones out of the brook and, with his sling 
in his hand, drew near the Philistine. The Philistine, 
by his gods, disdained and cursed David and said, "I will 
give your flesh to the flowls of the air and to the beasts 
of the field." David said to the Philistine, "Thou comest 
to me with a sword, a spear, and a shield but I come to 
thee in the name of the Lord of hosts who thou hast 
defied; this day will the Lord deliver thee into mine 
hand and I will smite thee, take thy head, and give the 
carcasses of the hosts of the Philistines to the fowls of 
the air, and to the beasts of the earth, that all the earth 
may know, there is a God in Israel ; that all this assembly 
shall know, the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; 
that the battle is the Lord's, and He will give the 
victory." 

When the Philistine came near to meet David, David 
ran to meet the Philistine, and, taking a stone from his 

[185] 



bag, he placed it in his sling and smote the Philistine in 
his forehead. The Philistine falling to the earth upon his 
face, David ran to him and, standing upon him, cut off 
the Philistine's head and, the rest of the Philistines flee- 
ing, David brot the head of the PhiHstine champion to 
Jerusalem. 

It is related that Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved 
David, as his own soul, and gave David his robe, his 
garments, and his sword; that David went with Saul, 
behaved himself wisely, and Saul set him over his men 
of war. 

The people praising David more than Saul, and say- 
ing, "Saul has killed his thousands but David his tens 
of thousands," Saul was displeased and said, "What can 
David have more but the kingdom?" and Saul eyed 
David from that day. 

The next day, the evil spirit coming upon him, Saul 
prophesied in the midst of the house, and David played 
with his hands as at other times. Saul, casting a javelin 
from his hand, said, "I will smite David to the wall with 
the javelin," but David avoided it twice. 

Because the Lord was with David and had departed 
from him, Saul was afraid of David and removed David 
from him, making him captain over a thousand. It is 
stated, that David went in and out before the people, 
behaving himself wisely, and all Israel and Judah loved 
him. 

As a reward, Saul had promised to give, to any one 
who would slay the Philistine champion, his daughter 
Merab to wife ; but when the time came, that she should 
have been given to David, Saul gave her unto Adriel the 
Mehelathite to wife. 

[186] 



Saul's younger daughter Michal loved David, and this 
pleased Saul; for he thot she would be a snare unto 
David, and the hand of the Philistines might be against 
him. For Michal, Saul asked no dowry except a hun- 
dred foreskins of the Philistines, thinking thus to make 
David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 

It pleased David to be the son-in-law of the king and, 
with his men, he slew two hundred Philistine men, brot 
their foreskins, and gave them in full tale to the king; 
and the king gave David Michal to wife. Seeing and 
knowing that the Lord was with David and that Michal 
loved him, Saul was all the more afraid of David, and 
became his enemy continually. 

Saul charged his son Jonathan and all his servants, 
that they should kill David, but Jonathan advised David 
of his danger, and persuaded Saul not to kill David. It is 
stated, that, after these things, there was a war with the 
Philistines, and David slew them with great slaughter; 
that Saul again tried to kill David with the javelin and, 
escaping the javelin thrust, David fled; that, by means of 
messengers, Saul sought to have David killed, but Michal 
advised David of his danger and helped him to escape, 
by deceiving the king with an image in the bed. 

David came to Samuel at Ramah, told him of his 
troubles, and they went and dwelt at Naioth, which was 
told to Saul. Three different times, Saul sent messen- 
gers to take David, but, it is stated, each time the mes- 
sengers, when they saw Samuel, became prophets; that 
Saul went himself to take David and he also became a 
prophet, and lay upon the ground naked before Samuel 
a day and a night. David fled to Jonathan who assured 
David, that he should not die, but David said, "There is 

[187] 



but a step between me and death," and, leaving his 
cause with Jonathan, hid himself in the field, for three 
days, while Jonathan learned Saul's purpose. Jonathan, 
learning that it was Saul's purpose to kill David, made a 
covenant with David and sent him away, for he loved 
him as his own soul. 

David came to Abimelech the priest at Nob, where 
he saw a servant of Saul named Deog, and the priests 
gave David the sword of Goliath the Philistine. From 
Nob, David went to Achism the king of Gath whose 
servants knew David, which fact made David afraid of 
x\chism. Playing himself mad, David was sent away, as 
a mad man, and thus escaped to the cave Adullam, where 
his father's house came down to him. Here David 
gathered unto himself every one in distress, in debt, in 
discontent, and became a captain over them, and, with 
about four hundred men, came into the forest of Hareth. 

David's visit to Abimelech was reported to Saul by 
Deog. Saul sent for Abimelech and all his house, accused 
him of conspiracy with David, and had them all slain, 
smiting Nob the city of the priests, with the men, women, 
and children; the sucklings, oxen, asses, and sheep: 
but one of the sons of Abimelech escaped, followed 
David, told David what Saul had done, and abode with 
David. 

David smote the Philistines at Keilah, and brought 
away their cattle, but saved the city. Hearing that 
Saul was coming down to take him and that the men of 
Keilah would deliver him to Saul, David departed out 
of Keilah, and abode in the mountain of Ziph in the 
wilderness. 

Coming to him in the wood, Jonathan assured David, 

[188] 



that Saul would not find him; that David should be king 
over Israel ; that his father Saul knew that David would 
be king over Israel ; and they made a covenant. 

It is related, that Saul made repeated attempts to 
take David but failed each time ; that David, at two 
different times, spared Saul's life, when he might have 
taken it ; that David thus finally won Saul so that he 
ceased to seek after David, and said, "David is more 
righteous than I." 

It is stated, that Saul knew well that David would be 
king; that the kingdom would be established in David's 
hand ; and took a vow from David ; that he would not cut 
off Saul's seed nor destroy his name out of his father's 
house; that Samuel died and was buried in his house at 
Ramah ; that David went down to the wilderness of Paran ; 
that in Maon there v/as a man named Nabal whose posses- 
sions were very great in sheep and goats which he had in 
Carmel ; that Nabal's wife named Abigail was a woman of 
good understanding and beautiful in countenance but 
Nabal himself was churlish, evil in his doings, and came 
of the house of Caleb. 

Affording Nabal's flocks protection in the mountains 
of the wilderness, David sent to him for a present as he 
needed but, at this time, Nabal railed on David's servants, 
and they returned empty handed. One of Nabal's serv- 
ants telling her of the offense, Abigail took a present 
and went to meet David and, taking the offense entirely 
upon herself, she prevailed upon David to accept it, asking 
David, not to regard this man of Belial, even Nabal, for 
as his name was so was he, and saying, "Nabal is his 
name and folly is with him." David blessed Abigail and 
bade her go to her house in peace. 

[189] 



On the following day, when Abigail told Nabal all 
these things, his heart died within him and he became 
as a stone, and after about ten days he died. When 
David heard, that Nabal was dead, he sent for Abigail 
and took her to wife. David also took Abinoam of Jez- 
reel to wife, but Saul had given Michal his daughter and 
David's wife to Phaiti the son of Laish who was of 
Gallim. 

Afterwards, again seeking David's life, Saul came to 
Hachilah where Saul and all his men, while in camp, fell 
into a deep sleep, and David removed Saul's spear and 
cruse of water but spared his life. When Saul awoke 
and learned what had been done, he became reconciled 
to David, and said, "Return my son David, I will no 
more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in 
thine eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool." It 
is stated, that David passed over with his men, and dwelt 
with Achism at Gath. 

After dwelling in the country of the Philistines six- 
teen months, David went up and invaded the Gesheerites, 
the Gezrites, and the Amalekites, which nations were of 
old the inhabitants of the land. He smote these lands, 
leaving neither man or woman alive, and, taking away 
the sheep, oxen, asses, camels, and apparel, he came to 
Achism, telling him, he had made a raid against the south 
of Judah, the south of Jerusalem, and the south of the 
Kenites. 

It is related, that it came to pass, in those days when 
Samuel was dead and Saul had put away those that had 
familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land, that 
the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel; that Saul 
feared the Philistines and sought the Lord, but the Lord 

[190] 



would not answer him either by dreams, by Urim, or by 
prophets, and Saul was sorely troubled ; 

That Saul learned of a woman at Enda with a familiar 
spirit and, disguising himself, sought her by night and 
asked, that she, by the familiar spirit, divine unto him and 
bring up Samuel; that she brot up Samuel and he com- 
plained at being troubled by Saul; that Saul said, he 
was distressed and that God had departed from him; 
that Samuel advised Saul that the Lord had rent the 
kingdom out of his hands and given it to his neighbor, 
even David, because Saul had disobeyed the Lord's voice, 
and had failed to execute the Lord's wrath upon Amalek, 
and that the Lord would deliver him and the Israelites 
into the hands of the Philistines, and, thereupon, Saul 
became prostrated upon the earth. 

At this time, David was with Achish, among the 
Philistines. The hosts of the Philistines proceeded to 
war against the Israelites and David was with them. 
After they had made a start against the Israelites, the 
lords of the Philistines refused to allow David and his 
men to accompany them to war against Saul and the 
Israelites, for fear of treachery, and Achish sent David 
and his men back. In the meantime, the Amalekites had 
invaded the country, smiting Ziglag and carrying the 
women away captives, including David's two wives. David 
wept and, pursuing the Amalekites, smote them all except 
four hundred young men who escaped on camels, re- 
covered all the Amalekites had carried away, and rescued 
his two wives. There was nothing lacking, and David 
restored to each his share and their families. 

The Philistines prevailed against the Israelites and 
slew Jonathan, Abinadab, and Melchi-shua Saul's sons. 

[ 191 ] 



Saul was wounded by the archers, and he and his armor- 
bearer took their own hves by falUng upon their swords, 
The IsraeHtes fled from the cities and the PhiHstines came 
and dwelt in them. The Philistines cut off Saul's head 
and sent his armor into the land of the Philistines, to 
publish his death in the house of their idols and among 
their people. They put Saul's armor in the house of 
Ashtoroth, fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan, 
and, afterwards, buried him under a tree at Jabesh. 

On the third day, learning of the death of Saul and 
Jonathan, David lamented over them saying, "The beauty 
of Israel is slain upon the high places ; Saul and Jona- 
than were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their 
death they were not divided; they were swifter than 
eagles and stronger than lions ; the daughters of Israel 
should weep for Saul." David said, he was distressed for 
his brother Jonathan who had been pleasant unto him, 
that Jonathan's love for him was wonderful, passing the 
love of women. After this, by direction of the Lord, 
David took his wives and his company and went up to 
Hebron where he was anointed king over the house of 
Judah. Abner, the captain of Saul's host, made Ish- 
bosheth the son of Saul king over all Israel. Ish-bosheth 
was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel 
and reigned two years. The house of Judah followed 
David and he was king over the house of Judah seven 
years and six months. 

It is related, that twelve men out of the house of Ben- 
jamin met in mortal strife with twelve men of the serv- 
ants of David at the pool of Gibeon and they all fell 
together, and called that place Halkathhozzurim ; that the 
same day there was a very severe battle between the men 

[ 192 ] 



of Abner and the servants of David, and Abner and the 
men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David ; 
that the three sons of Zerniah, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel, 
pursued after Abner; that Abner smote Asahel, and it 
came to pass that as many as came to the place where Asa- 
hel fell down and died stood still ; that the sun went down 
when Joab and Abishai were come to the hill of Ammah 
that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of 
Gibeon; that the children of Benjamin gathered them- 
selves together after Abner, and became one troop, and 
stood on the top of an hill ; that then Abner called to Joab, 
and said, ''Shall the sword devour forever? knowest thou 
not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long 
shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from fol- 
lowing their brethren ?" And Joab said, ''As God liveth, 
unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the 
people had gone up every one from following his brother. 
So Joab blew the trumpet and all the people stood still, 
and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they 
any more. And Abner and his men walked all that 
night thru the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went 
thru all Bithron and came to Mahanaim. And Joab re- 
turned from following Abner : and, when he had gathered 
all the people together, there lacked, of David's serv- 
ants, nineteen men and Asahel; but the servants of 
David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so 
that three hundred threescore men died. 

David's first son was born of Abinoam and he named 
him Ammon. His second son was born of Abigail and 
he named him Chileab. His third son was born of 
Maacah and he named him Absolom. His forth son 
was born of Haggith and he named him Adonijah. His 

[ 193 ] 



fifth son was born of Abital and he named him Shepha- 
tiah. His sixth son was born of Eglah and he named him 
Ithream, and all these sons were born to David while he 
lived in Hebron. 

Abner having killed Asahel the brother of Joab, Joab 
in turn killed Abner, and David and the people wept 
at the grave of Abner, and King David said, "Know ye 
not there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in 
Israel, the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to 
his wickedness." It is stated, that Michal, David's first 
wife, was restored to him. 

When Saul's son heard that Abner was dead, his 
hands were feeble and all Israel was troubled. Baanah 
and Rechab the sons of Rimmon were captains of bands, 
and they came and smote Ish-bosheth the king of Israel, 
cut off his head, and brot it to David at Hebron : for this 
deed, David, had Rechab and Baanah killed. 

After the death of Ish-bosheth, David made a league 
with the elders of Israel and was anointed king over 
Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to 
reign, and he reigned forty years and six months, seven 
years and six months in Hebron and thirty-three years 
in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah. He took a 
strong hold on Zion, dwelt in the fort, and called it the 
city of David. 

David was without a house and Hiram, king of Tyre, 
sent messengers with cedar trees and workmen, and they 
built David a house. 

David took to himself out of Jerusalem more con- 
cubines and wives, and there were born to him more sons 
and daughters — Shammuah, Shabab, Nathan, Solomon, 

[194] 



Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elisliama, Eliada, and 
Eliphalet. 

The Philistines coming up against David, he smote 
them, calling the name of the place Baab-perazin ; and 
the Philistines leaving their images at this place, David 
and his men buried them. The Philistines came up 
again and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim, 
and David went out and smote them. 

After these things, David took thirty thousand chosen 
men of Israel, and went from Baale of Judah to bring up 
the Ark of God whose name is called by the name of the 
Lord of hosts that dwelt between the cherubims. They 
set the Ark upon a new cart and brought it out of the 
house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah, and Uzzah and 
Ahio, sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. When they 
came to Nachan's threshing-floor, the oxen shook the 
Ark, and Uzzah took hold of it which was an error, 
and God smote him, and he died there by the Ark of 
God. This dispeased David and he called the name of the 
place Perez-Uzzah. 

Being afraid of the Lord, David would not remove 
the Ark of the Lord into the city of David, but had it 
carried aside into the house of Obed-edom, the Gittite, 
where it continued for three months ; and David, learning 
that the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his house, took 
the Ark to the city of David with gladness, and placed 
it in the tabernacle in the place prepared for it by King 
David, and the people dispersed. 

It came to pass, when the Lord had given David 
rest from all his enemies and the king was sitting in his 
house, that David said unto Nathan the prophet, "I dwell 
in a house of cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within 

[195] 



curtains." That night, thru Nathan, the word of the 
Lord came to David, giving him directions to build the 
Lord an house to dwell in, seeing He had walked in a tent 
and in a tabernacle unto that day, not asking for a house 
of cedar. 

Nathan told David that the Lord would appoint a 
place for His people Israel and plant them that they 
might dwell in a place of their own and move no more; 
that the children of wickedness should afflict them no 
more. The Lord said. He would make David an house, 
and, when David's days were fulfilled and he should sleep 
with his fathers. He would set up David's seed after him 
and establish his kingdom. 

The Lord directed, that David should build an house 
for the Lord's name, and the Lord would establish the 
throne of his kingdom for ever and the Lord would 
be David's father and David should be the Lord's son; 
that if David commit iniquity, the Lord would chasten 
him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the 
children of men but the Lord's mercy should not depart 
from David, as the Lord took it from Saul whom the 
Lord put away before David. The Lord told Nathan, 
that David's house, his kingdom, and his throne should 
be established forever. According to all these words and 
this vision, Nathan spoke unto David, and David praised 
God and accepted His charge. 

After this, it came to pass, that David smote the 
Philistines, and Moab and the Moabites became his 
servants and brought gifts; that the Syrians came to 
succor Hadad-ezer, king of Zobah, and David smote 
Hadah-ezer, slew of the Syrians twenty-two thousand 
men, put garrisons in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians 

[196] 



became servants to David, bringing gifts; that Toi king 
of Hamath sent Joram his son to salute and bless David 
for smiting Hadah-ezer, with whom Toi had had words, 
bringing and delivering to David presents of silver and 
gold with vessels of brass all of which, together with all 
the other spoil, David dedicated to the Lord. By putting 
garrisons thruout all Edom and making they of Edom 
his servants, David regained all Israel and reigned over 
them, executing judgment and justice unto all the people. 
Joab was over the host; Jehoshaphat was recorder; 
Zadok and Ahimelech were the priests; Saraiah was the 
scribe; Benaiah was over both the Cherethites and the 
Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers. 

Jonathan had left a son named Mephibosheth who 
was lame in both feet from a fall when he was five 
years old. For Jonathan's sake David took Mephibosheth 
into his house as one of his sons, and restored to him all 
that pretained to the house of Saul, making Ziba Saul's 
servant and all his house servants unto Mephibosheth to 
till the land and bring in the fruits unto Mephibosheth. 
Mephibosheth had a son named Micha. 

For the kindness Nahash had shown to him, David 
sent messengers to comfort Hanun the son of Nahash 
of the children of Ammon whom Hanun looked upon as 
spies, shaved off one-half their beards, cut off their gar- 
ments in the middle, and sent them away. For this 
offense, David sent Joab and destroyed the children of 
Ammon, together with thirty-three thousand Syrians 
whom the children of Ammon had hired to help them 
against David. 

After these things, it came to pass, that David, seeing 
Bath-sheba the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah 

[197] 



the Hittite, a woman that was very beautiful to look upon, 
took and lay with her, and she returned to her house. 
And when she discovered she had conceived, she sent 
and told David. Under David's instructions, Uriah the 
husband of Bath-sheba was put forward in the line of 
battle where he was killed, and David took Uriah's wife 
for his wife and she bear him a son. The Lord, being 
displeased with these acts, decreed that the sword should 
never depart from the house of David; that evil should 
rise up before him; and that his wives should be taken 
before his eyes and given to his neighbors "who would 
lie with them in the sight of this sun, and before the sun." 

It is related, that the Lord struck the child by Bath- 
sheba with sickness and it died the seventh day; that 
David comforted the child's mother; that she bear an- 
other son they named Solomon whom the Lord loved and 
called his name Jedediah. 

The Royal city of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, 
against which David had sent Joab and his forces and 
against which David later went himself, being taken, 
their king's crown, weighing a talent of gold, with the 
precious stones was set on David's head, and he brot 
forth the spoil of the city in great abundance, and brot 
forth the people that were therein, putting them under 
saws, under harrows of iron, and made them pass thru 
the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the 
children of Ammon, returning unto Jerusalem. 

After this, it came to pass, that Absalom the son 
of David had a sister named Tamar whom Ammon, an- 
other son of David's and a half brother to Absalom and 
Tamar, loved, and was so vexed for her that he fell sick. 
Ammon asked the king to have Tamar sent to wait upon 

[198] 



him while sick, and she came and waited upon him ; that, 
while in the secret chamber, Ammon forced and lay with 
Tamar, and then hated her more than he had loved her, 
and had his servants send her away. Tamar went away 
crying and, telling her brother Absalom of Ammon's 
offence, remained desolate in her brother's house. For 
this offense, Absalom hated his brother Ammon, and, 
after two years, had his servants kill Ammon. 

It is related, that Absalom was a man without blemish 
and had much praise for his beauty ; that he had two sons 
and one daughter named Tamar a woman of fair counten- 
ance; that on account of the death of Ammon, it was 
not until after about five years that Absalom was fully 
restored to his father's house and the graces of the king. 

It came to pass, that Absalom, hy fair speeches and 
courteous treatment, stole the hearts of the people of 
Israel and, after forty years, under pretense of paying 
a vow, he obtained leave of the king to go to Hebron, 
where he conspired with the tribes of Israel and they 
declared his reign in Hebron; that Ahithophel, David's 
counselor, was in the conspiracy and went with Absalom, 
and the people with Absalom increased continually. 

It is related, that, when the conspiracy was made 
known to David, he and his servants fled from Jerusalem 
to escape Absalom; that, on leaving Jerusalem, David 
left ten of his concubines to keep the house and Zadok 
and Abiathar with the Ark of God; and that David went 
up by the ascent of Mount Olivet weeping and barefoot,, 
and all the people went up weeping with him; 

That, with Ahithophel and all the men of Israel, 
Absalom came into Jerusalem and it came to pass, under 
the advise of Ahithophel, for the effect it would have upon 

[199] 



the people, that they spread him a tent upon the top of 
the house and there Absalom went in unto his father's 
concubines in the sight of all Israel. 

That the counsel of Ahithophel, with both David 
and Absalom, had been as if a man had enquired at the 
oracles of God; that David sent his friend Hushai back 
to get into the confidence of Absalom, become his ad- 
visor, and lead him to defeat; that Hushai was suc- 
cessful in his efforts, and Absalom rejected the counsel 
of Ahithophel for that of Hushai, and Ahithophel hanged 
himself. 

Following the advise of Hushai, Absalom, with his 
men of Israel, passed over Jordan and went to battle with 
the servants of David in the wood of Ephraim. Hushai 
having warned David of the movements of Absalom, the 
people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, 
more people being devoured by the wood than by the 
sword, twenty thousand men were killed. Riding his 
mule under the thick boughs of a great oak, Absalom was 
caught by the head and the mule went away from under 
him. While Absalom was still alive in the midst of the 
oak, Joab thrust three darts thru his heart. They cast the 
body of Absalom into a great pit in the wood, and piled a 
great heap of stones upon him. 

David had charged his servants to deal gently with 
Absalom, and, when told of Absalom's death, said he 
wished he might have died for Absalom, and was re- 
proved by Joab, for loving his enemies and hating his 
friends. 

When David returned to Jerusalem and learned that 
Absalom had lain with his concubines, he shut them up 
unto the day of their deaths. 

[200] 



Sheba, a Benjamite of Belial declared war against 
David and, fearing Sheba would do them more harm 
than Absalom, David sent Joab and his men after Sheba. 
David had sent Amasa to assemble the men of Judah 
within three days and, tarrying longer, Joab met him at 
the gr^at stone in Gibeon and slew him. Joab and his 
men went thru all the tribes of Israel and found Sheba 
in Abel. They besieged Abel until the head of Sheba 
was delivered unto them and then returned to Jerusalem. 

There was a three-year famine in the land which the 
Lord said, was for Saul and his bloody house. To allay 
the plague, at the request of the Gibeonites, David de- 
livered seven of the sons of Saul to be hanged, the two 
sons of Rizpah and the five sons of Michal. These 
were hanged in the hill before the Lord and the famine 
was stayed. 

When the Philistines again had war with Israel, 
Ashbi sought to kill David but was killed himself by 
Abishai. When again there was a battle with the Philis- 
tines at Gob, Sibbechai slew Saph, a giant. There was 
a second battle at Gob, when Elhanan slew the brother 
of Goliath the Gittite. There was yet a battle in Goth, 
where there was a man of great stature, six fingers on 
each hand and six toes on each foot, a giant, who defied 
Israel, and Jonathan the brother of David slew him. 

David spoke a song to the Lord, a psalm of thanks- 
giving for God's powerful deliverance and manifold 
blessings and in his last words professed his faith in 
God's promises to be beyond sense or expression. 

Under the direction of David, Joab and his helpers, 
in nine months and twenty days, numbered all the people 
of Israel, the muster showing eight hundred thousand 

[201] 



fighting men in Israel and five hundred thousand fighting 
men of Judah. This numbering displeased the Lord and 
He rebuked David, and David confessed it as his sin 
and foolishness. 

On account of David's offense, the word of the Lord 
came unto the prophet Gad, David's Seer, offering David 
his choice of three things, one of which should be done 
to him, seven years famine, a flight of three months before 
his enemies while they pursued him, or three days pesti- 
lence in his land. David chose the three days pestilence 
and there died of the people seventy thousand men, and 
the Lord, repenting of the evil, said to the angel of 
death which was by the threshing place of Araunah, 
"It is enough." 

Being old and stricken in years. King David had Solo- 
mon the son of Bath-sheba anointed and declared king 
over Israel and Judah, and Solomon sat upon the throne 
of the kingdom. 

The day drawing nigh when he should die, David gave 
Solomon a charge as to religiousness and a charge as 
to Joab, charging, as to Joab, that he should not be al- 
lowed to go down to the grave in peace. As to Shinar 
who cursed David at the time David fled from Absalom, 
David charged, that he should be brot down to the grave 
with blood. 

David reigned over Israel forty years and six months, 
seven years and six months in Hebron and thirty-three 
years in Jerusalem, slept with his fathers, and was buried 
in the city of David. 

Under the reign of Solomon, Adonijah is put to death, 
Abiathan is given his life but deprived of his priest- 
hood, and Joab and Shinar are put to death. Solomon 

[ 202 ] 



makes affinity with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and takes 
Pharaoh's daughter to wife. 

It is related, that the people sacrificed in high places, 
because there was no house built unto the Lord until 
these days; that Solomon loved the Lord and walked in 
the statutes of David his father except that he sacrificed 
and burnt incense in high places in Gibeon, for that was 
the great high place ; that, while in Gibeon, in a dream by 
night, the Lord appeared to Solomon, and asked, what 
He should give to Solomon; that Solomon said, ''I am a 
little child and I know not how to go out or come in ; I am 
in the midst of a great people, which cannot be numbered 
for multitude : give me an understanding heart to judge 
the people, that I may discern between good and evil :" 
that the Lord was pleased that Solomon asked nothing 
for himself, and said. He had given him an understanding 
heart so that there had been none before and there would 
be none after him, like unto him; that He also gave him 
riches and honor beyond all kings ; that for faithful serv- 
ice he would lengthen his days; and that Solomon, 
awoke and beheld that it was a dream. 

Over Israel, Solomon had eleven princes, and twelve 
officers who provided for the king's household, each 
officer having his month in the year for which he made 
provision. 

Solomon having peace on all sides round about him, 
Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man dwelling safely 
under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of 
Solomon. 

Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his 
chariots and twelve thousand horsemen for which the 



[ 203 



twelve officers over Israel provided for, each man in his 
month. 

It is stated, that Solomon's wisdom excelled that of 
all the children of the east country and all the wisdom of 
Egypt; that he was wiser than all men, and his fame 
was in all nations round about ; that he spoke three thou- 
sand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five; 
that there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solo- 
mon; and that he proposed to build an house unto the 
name of the Lord his God, as the Lord had spoken to 
David. 

Solomon had the stones and timbers prepared to build 
the house, and, it came to pass, in the four hundred and 
eightieth year after the children of Israel came up out of 
the land of Egypt and in the fourth year and second 
month of his reign, Solomon began to build the house of 
the Lord. 

It is related that the house of the Lord was built 
of materials which were prepared before they were brot, 
so that there was neither hammer or ax or any tool of 
iron heard in the house while it was building; that the 
stones were covered with cedar so there was no stone 
seen; that the cedar was finely carved, and everything 
overlaid with gold which fit and pressed in upon the 
carved work ; that in the fourth year and second month of 
Solomon's reign the foundations were laid, and in the 
eleventh year and eighth month the house was finished; 
that Solomon also built a house for himself and one for 
Pharaoh's daughter whom he had taken to wife, out of 
great and costly stones of ten and eight cubits. 

The Ark of the Covenant and all the holy vessels, 
in the tabernacle of the congregation, were brought out of 

[204] 



the city of David, which is Zion, by the priests into the 
house of the Lord. There was nothing in the Ark save 
the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, 
and the priests brot the Ark unto his place, the most holy 
place, in the house of God, with great sacrificing. When 
the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud, the 
glory of the Lord, filled the house of the Lord; and 
Solomon said unto the Lord, '*"! have surely built Thee 
an house to dwell in, a settled place for Thee to abides 
in forever." Solomon praised God with prayer and 
thanksgiving and, making supplication for the house 
of the people, they made sacrifices and dedicated the 
house of the Lord. The Lord appeared, and said, He 
had hallowed the house, and put his name there forever: 
that His eyes and his heart should be there perpetually; 
that if Solomon would follow the Lord He would establish 
the throne of His kingdom upon Israel forever; and that 
otherwise He would cut off Israel out of the land he had 
given them and cast this house out of His sight, and it 
should be a proverb and a byword among all people. 

At the end of twenty years, it came to pass, that 
Solomon gave Hiram, the king of Tyre, who had furn- 
ished Solomon with cedar and fur trees and with gold 
according to all his desires, twenty cities in the land 
of Galilee but Hiram was not pleased and called them 
the land of Cubal. 

It is related, that Solomon exceeded all the kings of 
the earth in riches and wisdom; that he loved many 
strange women, including the daughter of Pharaoh; that 
he loved the women of the Moabites, the Ammonites, tne 
Edomites, the Zidonians, and the Hittites ; nations with 
whom the Lord had forbidden intercourse, lest they 

[205] 



turn away Israel's heart to their gods, but Solomon 
clave unto these in love; and that Solomon had seven 
hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. 

When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart 
away after other gods, he going after Ashtoroth the god 
of the Zidonians, Milcom the abomination of the Ammon- 
ites, and doing evil in the sight of the Lord. He built 
an high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab in 
the hill that is before Jerusalem, and one for Molech the 
abomination of the children of Ammon, and likewise did 
he for all his strange wives who burnt incense and sac- 
rificed unto their gods. For these offences, the Lord 
God of Israel who had appeared unto Solomon twice 
was angry, and said, He would surely rend the king- 
dom from Solomon and give it unto his servant, giving 
one tribe to Solomon's son for David's sake and for 
Jerusalem's sake which he had chosen. 

Hadad, one of the seed of the king of Edom, who had 
escaped Joab's slaughter of the males of Edom, went 
into Egypt where he was greatly favored by King Pra- 
raoh, he giving Hadad to wife the sister of the king's wife. 

Hadad's wife bear him a son he named Genubeth, and, 
after the deaths of David and Joab, he returned to his 
own country, where the Lord stirred him up as an adver- 
sary unto Solomon. God also stirred up Bezon, who 
reigned in Damascus over Syria, to abhor Israel: and 
Rezon was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon. 

Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathrite of Zereda 
and ruler over the house of Joseph Solomon's servants, 
was against King Solomon. The prophet told Jeroboam, 
the Lord would take the kingdom from Solomon and 
rend it into twelve parts, giving Jeroboam ten tribes, 

[206] 



and one tribe to the son of Solomon that David might 
have a hght always before the Lord in Jerusalem, the 
city which the Lord had chosen to put his name there; 
that the Lord would take Jeroboam to reign and be king 
over Israel ; and that if Jeroboam would follow the Lord, 
the Lord would be with him, build him a sure house, 
and give Israel unto him. After this Solomon sought to 
kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled into Egypt, and was 
there until the death of Solomon. Solomon reigned 
in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years, slept with his 
fathers, and was buried in the city of David. 

After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam the son of 
Solomon went to Shechem, and all Israel came there to 
make him king. They having sent for him, Jeroboam 
came and, with all the congregation of Israel, complained 
to Rehoboam of the grievous yoke his father had placed 
upon them and asked to have it removed, if they would 
serve him. Putting them off for three days, Rehoboam 
took counsel of the young men and, in pursuance thereof, 
answered the people roughly, saying, "My father made 
/our yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke : he chastised 
you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions." 

It is stated, that the cause for Rehoboam's decision 
was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, by 
the prophet Anijah unto Jeroboam. 

Israel rebelled against the house of David, and made 
Jeroboam king over all Israel. There were none who 
followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah and 
the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah 
over whom Rehoboam reigned. Jeroboam built Shechem 
in mount Ephraim and dwelt there; and, going from 
there, he built Penuel. 

[207] 



It is related, that Jeroboam said in his heart, "If the 
people go up to Jerusalem, to do sacrifice in the house of 
the Lord, they will turn again unto Rehoboam, and the 
kingdom will return to the house of David ;" and, there- 
upon, Jeroboam took counsel and made two calves of 
gold, saying unto the people, "It is too much for you to go 
up to Jerusalem; behold thy gods, O Israel, which brot 
you up out of the land of Egypt;" that he set one in 
Beth-el and the other he put in Dan, and the people went 
even unto Dan to worship; 

That he made an house of high places, and priests 
of the lowest of the people who were not of the sons of 
Levi ; that he ordained a feast like unto the feast that is 
in Judah and offered upon the altars in Beth-el and Dan, 
sacrificing unto the calves he had made and placing there 
the priests of the high places he had made. 

It is related, that there came a man of God out of 
Judah unto Beth-el who cried against the altars, and 
said, "Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of 
David, Josiah by name, and upon thee shall he offer the 
priests of the high places who burn incense upon thee, 
man's bones shall be burnt upon thee," and declared, 
the sign should be, that the altar should be rent and the 
ashes poured out; 

That Jeroboam put forth his hand against the man of 
God, and it dried up so he could not pull it in again ; that 
the altar was rent and the ashes poured out according to 
the sign; that Jeroboam requested and the man of God 
entreated for him, and his hand was restored; 

That Jeroboam desired to entertain the man of God 
at his house, but the man of God refused to be enter- 
tained by Jeroboam and returned on his way to Judah ; 

[208] 



That an old prophet followed after the man of God 
and, by deception, procured him for entertainment at his 
house: for this offense, the man of God was slain by a 
lion while on his return to Judah, but the lion did not 
molest the carcass of the man of God ; 

That, continuing in his evil way, Jeroboam conse- 
crated, as priests of the high places, whomsoever would of 
the lowest of the people, which, becoming a sin, finally, 
cut off and destroyed the house of Jeroboam from off 
the earth; 

That those of Jeroboam's house who died in the city 
were eaten by the dogs, and those who died in the field 
were eaten by the fowls of the air ; that Jeroboam reigned 
twenty-two years, slept with his fathers, and his son 
Nadab reigned in his stead. 

Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was forty-one years 
old when he began to reign in Judah and reigned in 
Jerusalem seventeen years. His mother was an Am- 
monitess name Naamah. 

It is related, that, under the reign of Rehoboam, Judah 
did evil, in the sight of the Lord, above all that their 
fathers had done, building them high places, images, and 
groves on every high hill and under every green tree; 
that there were Sodomites in the land, and Judah did 
according to all the abominations of the nations which 
the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. 

It came to pass, in the fifth year of Rehoboam, 
Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and 
took away the treasurers of the house of the Lord, those 
in the house of the king, and all the shields of gold 
which Solomon had made. 

[ 209 ] 



Rehoboam slept with his fathers in the city of David, 
and his son Abijam reigned in his stead. 

Abijam reigned for three years in Jerusalem over 
Judah, and walked in all the sins of his father. 

It is stated, that it was for David's sake, the Lord 
his God set up Solomon's son after him, to give David 
a lamp in Jerusalem and to establish Jerusalem ; that there 
was a war between Abijam and Jeroboam, that Abijam 
slept with his fathers in the city of David, and his son 
Asa reigned in his stead. 

Asa reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years, and did 
that which was right in the eyes of the Lord as did David 
his father. He took away the Sodomites out of the land 
and removed all the idols his father made, removed his 
mother from being queen because she had made an idol 
in a grove which he destroyed, but the high places were 
not removed; yet, it is stated, Asa's heart was perfect 
with the Lord all his days, and that there was war be- 
tween Asa and Baasha the king of Israel all their days. 

In the time of his old age, Asa was diseased in his 
feet. He slept with his fathers in the city of David, and 
his son Jehoshaphat reigned in his stead. 

Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, began to reign over 
Israel in the second year of Asa and reigned two years, 
walking in the way of his father, doing evil in the sight 
of the Lord. 

Baasha the son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar 
conspired against and smote Nadab in the third year of 
Asa and reigned in his stead. 

It came to pass, that Baasha smote all the house of 
Jeroboam according to the word of the Lord by Ahijah 
the prophet. 

[210] 



Baasha reigned in Tirzah over all Israel for forty- four 
years, walking in the way of Jeroboam and doing evil in 
the sight of the Lord, and the Lord took away his pros- 
perity, making his house like that of Jeroboam. Those 
who died in the city were eaten by the dogs, and those 
who died in the field were eaten by the fowls of the air. 

Baasha slept with his fathers, was buried in Tirzah, 
and Elah his son reigned in his stead. 

Elah's reign began in the twenty-sixth year of Asa. 
He reigned two years when his servant Zimri conspired 
against him and slew him while he was drunk in the 
house of Arza his steward, and Zimri reigned in his 
stead. 

When he began to reign, Zimri slew all the house 
of Baasha according to the word of the Lord which 
He spake against Baasha by Jehu his prophet. 

After seven days reign in Tirzah by Zimri, in the 
twenty-seventh year of Asa, the people made Omri king 
over Israel. Omri and all Israel going up and besieging 
Tirzah, Zimri burnt the king's house over his own head 
and died thus by his own hand. 

After this, the people became divided, one part fol- 
lowing Omri, and the other part following Tibni the son 
of Ginath to make him king, but Omri prevailed and 
reigned, beginning in the thirty-first year of Asa, and 
reigning twelve years. 

Omri bought the hill Samaria of Shemar, built 
thereon, and called the name of the city Shemar. He 
walked in all the ways of Jeroboam, doing worse than all 
that were before him in evils in rhe sight of the Lord. 

Omri slept with his fathers, was buried in Samaria, 
and Ahab his son reigned in his stead. 

[211] 



Ahab began to reign over Israel in the thirty-eighth 
year of Asa and reigned iii Samaria twenty-two years, 
■doing evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were 
before him. 

He took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Eth-baal 
king of the Zidonians and served and worshipped Baal, 
rearing up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which 
he had built in Samaria, made a grove, and did more 
to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the 
kings of Israel that were before him. 

In the days of Ahab, Hiel the Beth-elite built Jericho, 
laying the foundations thereof in Abiram his firstborn, 
and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, 
according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by 
Joshua the son of Nun. 

It is related, that Elijah the Tishbite who was of the 
inhabitants of Gilead prophesied, there should not be 
dew nor rain these years but according to his word ; that 
the Lord hid Elijah by the brook Cherith that is before 
Jordan, from which he was to drink, and fed him by 
means of ravens morning and evenings; that the brook 
dried up and the Lord sent Elijah to a widow woman at 
Zarephath in Zidon where the Lord provided for Elijah, 
and for the woman and her son ; 

That, it came to pass, in those days, the woman's son 
fell sick and his breath left him, and she appealed to 
Elijah for aid for her son; that Elijah restored the boy 
to life and delivered him to his mother. 

After many days and in the third year, the Lord sent 
Elijah to show himself unto Ahab. At this time, there 
was a sore famine in Samaria and Ahab had sent Obadiah 
the governor of Ahab's iiouse who feared the Lord 

[212] 



greatly and who, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the 
Lord, took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in 
a cave and fed them, to pass thru the land in search of 
grass for their horses and mules and, Obadiah being on 
his way thru the land, Elijah met him and sent him to 
tell Ahab, ''Elijah is here." 

When Ahab met Elijah, Ahab accused Elijah of being 
the cause of the great famine in the land and told Elijah, 
they had sought him everywhere. Elijah assured Ahab, 
that the famine was of the Lord, and was for his own 
fault. 

Elijah required Ahab to gather all Israel, all the 
prophets of Baal, four hundred fifty, and all the prophets 
of the groves which eat at the table of Jezebel, four 
hundred, unto Mount Carmel, and Elijah came there unto 
all the people, and said, ''How long halt ye between two 
opinions? If the Lord be God follow Him but if Baal 
then follow him." The people not answering him, Eli- 
jah said, "I, even I, only remain of the prophets of the 
Lord while Baal's prophets are four hundred fifty men. 

It is related, that Elijah proposed to the prophets of 
Baal to test by fire the power of the gods of Baal and 
the God of Israel; that he would call upon the name of 
the Lord and they upon the name of their gods, and He 
that answered by fire should be God, to all of which 
the prophets of Baal agreed; 

That, from morning until noon, the prophets of Baal 
called upon their gods without result; that there being 
no voice or other answer of their petitions, they leaped 
upon the altar; that Elijah, mocking them, said, "Cry 
louder for he is a god, either he is talking, pursuing, on a 
journey, or sleepeth and must be wakened," and they 

[213] 



cried aloud and cut themselves, after their manner, with 
knives and lancets, but there was neither voice, answer, 
or any that regarded; 

That, at the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah called 
the people unto him, prepared the altar of the Lord 
which was broken down, took twelve stones according to 
the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, and built 
an altar in the name of the Lord ; that he made a trench 
about the altar, put the wood in order, and, cutting the 
bullock in pieces, laid the pieces on the wood and had 
twelve barrels of water poured thereon, filling the trench 
with water; 

Elijah came near to the altar and called upon the name 
of the Lord God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, and 
the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacri- 
fice, the wood, the stone, the dust, and licked up the 
water that was in the trenches; and that all the people 
fell on their faces saying, "The Lord He is God! the 
Lord He is God !" and Elijah said unto the people, ''Take 
the prophets of Baal, let none escape," and they brot the 
prophets of Baal down to the brook Kishon and slew 
them there. 

After these things, a small cloud like a man's hand 
was seen to rise out of the sea, the heavens became black 
W'ith clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. 

' Ahab returned to Jezreel and told Jezebel all that 
Elijah had done, and Jezebel threatened Elijah's life. 
Hearing of the threat, Elijah departed and came to Beer- 
sheba in Judah, where he left his servant and went a 
day's journey in the wilderness, sat down under a juniper 
tree, and wished he might die. 

As Elijah lay asleep, under the juniper tree, an angel 

[214] 



touched him and said, "Arise and eat." Elijah looked 
and there was a cake baked on the coals and a cruse of 
water at his head. 

After eating and drinking, Elijah lay down again and 
the angel of the Lord touched him and said, "Arise and 
eat, the journey is too great for thee." Elijah arose, ate 
and drank, and went, in the strength of that meat forty 
days and forty nights, unto Horeb the Mount of God 
where he lodged in a cave. 

While Elijah lodged in the cave, the word of the Lord 
came to him and said, "What doest thou here Elijah?" 
Elijah, answering said, "I was jealous for the Lord God 
of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Thy 
covenants, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy 
prophets with the sword until I, even I, only am left and 
they seek my life to take it away." 

It is related, that the Lord passed by; that a great 
and strong wind rent the mountain and broke in pieces 
the rocks, before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the 
wind; that, after the wind, there was an earthquake, but 
the Lord was not in the earthquake ; that, after the earth- 
quake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire ; 
that, after the fire, a still small voice said, "What doest 
thou here Elijah?" and, Elijah answering as before, the 
still small voice said unto him, "Go, return on thy way 
to the wilderness of Damascus and anoint Hazael to be 
king over Syria, Jehu to be king over Israel, and Elisha 
shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. It shall 
come to pass, that him that escapes the sword of Hazael 
Jehu shall slay and him that escapes the sword of Jehu 
shall Elisha slay; yet, I have left me seven thousand in 

[215] 



Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and 
every mouth which hath not kissed him." 

Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of cattle before 
him, and Elijah, finding Elisha, cast his mantle upon 
Elisha as he passed by. Leaving his oxen, Elisha ran 
after Elijah, and said, "I will first kiss my father and 
my mother and then I will follow thee." Elijah said to 
Elisha, "Go back again, for what have I done to thee?" 
It is stated, that Elisha slew a yoke of oxen, boiled their 
flesh with the wood of their furniture, and gave unto 
the people and they did eat; that Elisha then arose, went 
after Elijah, and ministered unto him. 

Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, going up against Sa- 
maria, had his servants set themselves in array against 
the city. Ahab, having all the young men of the princes 
of the provinces, two hundred thirty-two, and all of the 
children of Israel, seven thousand, the Lord by a prophet 
directed Ahab to direct the battle. Ahab went out 
at noon and every one slew his man, the Syrians fled and 
Ben-hadad escaped. 

At the end of the year, Ben-hadad went up to Aphek 
to fight against Israel. The children of Israel, when 
pitched before the Syrians, were like two little flocks of 
birds, and the Syrians filled the country. On the seventh 
day, the battle being joined, the children of Israel slew 
of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen, and the 
rest fled into the city Aphek where a wall fell upon twen- 
ty-seven thousand. Ben-hadad, fleeing, was, afterwards, 
received into Ahab's chariot where they made a covenant, 
and Ahab sent him away. 

A prophet came to Ahab and told him, that because 
he had let go a man whom the Lord had appointed to utter 

[216] 



destruction, his life should go for that life and his peo- 
ple for that people, and the king of Israel returned to 
Samaria heavy and distressed. 

It came to pass, that Ahab sought the vineyard of 
Naboth, but Naboth would not part with the inheritance 
of his fathers, and Ahab was sad with disappointment. 
To encourage Ahab, his wife Jezebel proposed to give him 
the vineyard of Naboth. She conspired against Naboth 
by false accusations and had him stoned to death, giving 
the vineyard to Ahab. 

When Ahab went to possess the vineyard, he was met 
by Elijah and told, that, in the place where dogs had 
licked the blood of Naboth dogs should lick his blood; 
that the Lord would bring evil upon him, take away his 
prosperity, and make his house like the house of Jero- 
boam and Baasha; that the dogs should eat Jezebel by 
the wall of Jezreel; that him that dieth of Ahab in the 
city the dogs should eat, and him that dieth in the field 
the fowls of the air should eat. 

After these things, three years passed without war 
between Syria and Israel. In the third year, Jehoshaphat 
the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel and 
was pursuaded to join Ahab in a battle against the Syr- 
ians at Ramoth-gilead to recover Ramoth from the Syr- 
ians. In this battle, Ahab was wounded and died, and 
the dogs licked up his blood. Ahab thus sleeping with 
his fathers, his son Ahaziah reigned in his stead. 

Jehoshaphat reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years, 
walking in the ways of his father Asa but the people 
offered and burnt incense in the high places which were 
not removed. Jehoshaphat, sleeping with his fathers, was 

[2171 



buried with them in the city of David, and Jehoram his 
son reigned in his stead. 

In the Second Book of Kings, we find the names of 
the kings, Jehoram and Joram, used interchangeably be- 
tween the reigns over Israel and Judah. Jehoram was 
the son of Jehoshaphat and reigned in Jerusalem over 
Judah, and Joram was the son of Ahab and reigned in 
Samaria over Israel. We find this same confusion in the 
Chronicles. 

Ahaziah reigned over Israel two years, doing evil in 
the sight of the Lord by walking in the ways of his 
father and in the ways of his mother and in the ways of 
Jeroboam who made Israel to sin, by serving Baal and 
worshipping him according to all that his fathers had 
done. 

While in Samaria, Ahaziah fell and sustained an in- 
jury from which he died. Having no son, Ahaziah was 
succeeded by his brother Joram, the son of Ahab, as king 
over Israel. 

The time having approached when the Lord would 
take Elijah up into heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah took 
Elisha with him from Gilgal down to Beth-el where he 
was minded to leave him but Elisha, knowing that Elijah 
would be taken up that day, would not leave him, and 
they went from Beth-el to Jericho and from there to 
Jordan. Fifty of the sons of the prophets, knowing that 
Elijah was to be taken that day, followed them and stood 
afar off to view. Elijah smote the waters of the Jordan 
with his mantle, they parted, and the two went over on 
dry ground. As they went on and talked, there ap- 
peared a chariot of fire with horses of fire which parted 

[218] 



them asunder and Elijah went up by a whirhvind into 
heaven. 

When Ehsha saw this phenomenon, he cried, My 
Father, My Father, the chariot of Israel and the horse- 
men thereof, and he saw Elijah no more. Taking up 
the mantle that had fallen from Elijah, Elisha went back 
to the Jordan, smote the waters of the Jordan with the 
mantle, they parted, and he went over. 

The sons of the prophets came and bowed down be- 
fore Elisha and, receiving Elisha's permission, they went 
in search of Elijah for the space of three days but found 
him not. 

Elisha tarried at Jericho and, by the use of salt, 
healed the spring of the waters of Jericho so there were 
no more deaths nor barren land. 

As Elisha was going up from Jericho to Beth-el, 
little children came out of the city and, mocking him, said, 
''Go up thou bald-head, go up thou bald-head." Elisha 
cursed the children, in the name of the Lord, and two 
she bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of 
them. Elisha went to Mount Carmel and returned to 
Samaria. 

After Ahab's death, the king of Moab rebelled against 
the king of Israel, and refused to send further tribute. 
Joram king of Israel, with Jehoshaphat and the king of 
Edom, went up, by way of the wilderness of Edom, 
against Moab. After seven days journey, they were with- 
out water, and sought and procured the aid of the prophet 
Elisha. Elisha called for a minstrel, the minstrel played, 
the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha, and Elisha gave 
them directions and the valley was made full of trenches. 
In the morning, without wind or rain, it came to pass, 

[219] 



that water came by way of Edom, filled the country 
with water, and the Lord delivered the Moabites into 
their hand, and they departed to their own land. 

It is related, that a woman, of the wives of the 'sons 
of the prophets, appealed to Elisha to save her sons from 
bondage, on account of their father's debts; that Elisha 
gave her directions about what to do and, from her one 
pot of oil, she filled all the vessels she could procure, 
sold oil, paid the debts, and had left sufficient to live 
upon. 

At Shunem, there was a great woman who fed Elisha 
when he passed that way. She was without children and 
she provided, for Elisha's entertainment, a little chamber 
upon the wall. For this woman's kindness, Elisha en- 
treated the Lord and she conceived and bear a son. When 
this son was grown, he fell sick and died. The woman 
sent for Elisha and he came, restored her son to life, and 
delivered him to his mother. 

Elisha came again to Gilgal and performed the mira- 
cles of feeding the people from a mess of pottage, at 
one time, and with twenty loaves of barley and a few full 
ears of corn with food left, at another time. 

It is related, that one Naaman, the captain of the 
hosts of the king of Syria, was a leper; that he learned, 
thru a little maid of Israel who was a captive, and a 
servant to Naaman's wife, that the prophets of Israel 
cured leprosy; that he took presents and went to the 
king of Israel to be healed; that, hearing of Naaman's 
coming and his affliction, Elisha sent for Naaman to 
come to him to be healed. 

Naaman came to the door of the house of Elisha, and 
Elisha sent a messenger and told Naaman to go dip him- 

[220] 



self seven times in Jordan and be clean. Expecting 
Elisha to come out and perform a miracle in healing him, 
Naam.an was offended at the reception his honor had re- 
ceived at the hands of Elisha and, turning away in anger 
and reproach, was minded to return to his own country, 
but his servants persuaded him to do as he was bid, and 
he was healed. Returning to Elisha's house again, Naa- 
man acknowledged Elisha's God and offered him pres- 
ents of silver, of gold, and of raiment, all of which 
Elisha refused to accept. 

After Naaman had departed, Elisha's servant Gehazi, 
thinking to secure some of Naaman's presents, followed 
Naaman, pretending that Elisha had sent him, and pro- 
cured two talents of silver and two changes of raiment 
from Naaman's servants. Being cognizant of Gahazi's 
act, Elisha caused the leprosy which Naaman had to fall 
upon Gahazi, and Gahazi became a leper. 

The king of Syria warred against Israel and sought 
to trap the king of Israel, but Elisha read the counsel 
of the Syrians, even in their bed chambers, and told the 
king of Israel the plans of the Syrians, and thus the 
Syrians were defeated in their efforts to trap the king 
of Israel. 

The king of Syria was told what Elisha had done anH 
he sent a great host to fetch Elisha from Dothan. They 
came by night and compassed the city about, and, Elisha's 
servant being afraid, Elisha prayed, the servant's eyes 
were opened and he saw that the mountain was full of 
horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha; and 
Elisha said to the young man, "Fear not for they that are 
with us are more than they against us." Elisha prayed 
and the hosts of Syria were smitten with blindness and 

[221] 



Elisha led the Syrians into the midst of Samaria. In the 
midst of Samaria, EHsha prayed and the eyes of the 
Syrians were opened in the midst of Samaria. The king 
of Israel was minded to smite the Syrians there but 
Elisha restrained him, had the Syrians fed, and sent 
them away to their master, and the bands of Syria came 
no more into the land of Israel. 

After this, it came to pass, that Ben-hadad, king of 
Syria, beseiged Samaria until there was a great famine 
there. The king of Israel threatened the life of Elisha 
and the Lord, by means of four lepers bearing down upon 
the camp of the Syrians, freightened the Syrians and 
they fled, leaving everything in their cam.p. Learning 
that the Syrians had fled, the Israelites spoiled their tents 
and appropriated their supplies, thus relieving their dis- 
tress for food Elisha then came to Damascus, and Hazael 
took the life of Ben-hadad and reigned in his stead. 

In the fifth year of Joram, king of Israel, Jehoram 
the son of Jehoshapat began to reign over Judah, at the 
age of thirty-two, and reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 
The wife of Jehoram was the daughter of Ahab, a 
former king over Israel, and Jehoram walked in the ways 
of the kings of Israel, doing evil in the sight of the 
Lord. 

In the days of Jehoram, Edom and Libnah revolted 
from under the hand of Judah and made kings for them- 
selves. 

Jehoram slept with his fathers, was buried in the city 
of David, and his son Ahaziah reigned in his stead. Be- 
ginning at the age of twenty- two years, Ahaziah reigned 
one year in Jerusalem and walked in the ways of Ahab. 

In the war with Hazael, king of Syria, in Ramoth- 

[ 222 ] 



gilead, Joram was wounded and went back to Jezreel to 
be healed. Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, conspiring 
against Joram, went to Jezreel and slew him with an 
arrow, casting his body in the field of Naboth the Jez- 
reelite according to the word of the Lord. Ahaziah 
having come to Jezreel to see Joram, Jehu smote him 
also, and they carried his body to Jerusalem and buried 
him with his fathers in the city of David. 

When Jehu entered into Jezreel, he had Jezebel thrown 
from an upper window, trampled by the horses, and her 
body was eaten by the dogs. After this Elisha had Jehu 
anointed king over Israel. 

Joram reigned over Israel twelve years and wrought 
evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father or 
his mother, for he put away the images of Baal his father 
had made, but he clave unto the sins of Jeroboam. 

Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria whom Jehu be- 
headed and brot their heads to Jezreel. After slaying 
all that remained in Jezreel of the house of Ahab, Jehu 
came to Samaria and, at the pit of the shearing house, 
met and slew forty-two brethren of Ahaziah. 

Jehu took Jehonadab with him and slew all that re- 
mained unto Ahab in Samaria, thus destroying Ahab 
according to the saying of the Lord as spoken by Elijah. 

Telling the people that Ahab served Baal a little but 
he would serve him much, Jehu had all the prophets, serv- 
ants, and priests of Baal called together and proclaimed 
a solemn assembly for Baal. The worshippers of Baal 
came, to the man, and the house of Baal was filled. While 
the disciples of Baal were at worship, Jehu had them all 
slain with the edge of the sword and, afterwards, had 
the images of the house of Baal brot forth and burnt, and 

[ 223 ] 



the images of Baal and the house of Baal broken down, 
thus destroying Baal out of Israel : but he departed not 
from the sins of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin, in 
the matter of the golden calves that were in Beth-el and 
in Dan. 

For his services in destroying Baal out of Israel, Jehu 
was promised by the Lord, that his children of the fourth 
generation should sit on the throne of Israel, but Jehu 
took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of 
Israel with all his heart, departing not from the sins of 
Jeroboam which made Israel sin. 

In these days, the Lord began to cut Israel short, 
and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel. 

Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-eight 
years, slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria. 
Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, succeeded Jehu as king and 
reigned in his stead. 

After the death of Ahaziah, at the hand of Jehu at 
Jezreel, Athaliah the wife of Jehoram and mother of 
Ahaziah destroyed all the seed royal except Joash, and 
reigned over the land of Judah. Joash, the son of Aha- 
ziah, was taken away and hid, by his aunt Jehosheba 
the daughter of King Jehoram and sister to Ahaziah, 
so that he was not slain. 

Joash was with Jehosheba in the house of the Lord 
six years, and, in the seventh year, the priests brot the 
rulers and officers together into the house of the Lord, 
made a covenant, and showed them the king's son who 
was afterwards made king. When Athaliah saw all this, 
she cried, "Treason, treason," whereupon, she was re- 
moved and slain with the sword. 

At this time, the people went into the house of Baal, 

[224] 



broke it down, with its altars and images, and slew Mat- 
tan the priest of Baal before the altar, and they brot 
down Joash and he sat upon the throne of the kings. 

Joash began to reign, at the age of seven years, and 
reigned forty years in Jerusalem, doing right in the sight 
of the Lord, but the high places were not removed. He 
repaired the breaches in the house of the Lord, and 
bought his peace with King Hazael of Syria. His serv- 
ants conspired against him and slew him in the house of 
Millo. He was buried in the city of David, and Ama- 
ziah his son reigned in his stead. 

Jehoahaz the son of Jehu reigned over Israel in Sa- 
maria seventeen years, and, he too, following the sins 
of Jeroboam, the anger of the Lord was kindled against 
Israel and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael the 
king of Syria all their days. 

The king of Syria oppressed the children of Israel 
and, the Lord giving them a saviour, they went out from 
the Syrians and dwelt in their tents as before, but they 
departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam. 

Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, was buried in Sa- 
maria, and Josiah his son reigned in his stead. At the 
time Josiah began to reign, there was left of the people 
but fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot- 
men. 

Josiah reigned over Israel in Samaria sixteen years 
and departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam. He 
slept with his fathers, was buried in Samaria, and Jero- 
boam his son sat upon his throne. 

While Josiah was king over Israel, Elisha fell in a 
sickness, whereof he afterwards died, and Josiah went 
down and wept over his face. At this time, Elisha proph- 

[ 225 ] 



esied, that Josiah would smite the Syrians in Aphek and 
consume them. 

It is related, that, at the coming in of the new year, 
the bands of the Moabites invaded the land ; that, it came 
to pass, as they were burying a man, the Moabites spied 
a band of men and cast the body into the sepulchre of 
Elisha; that, when the body of the man touched the 
bones of Elisha, the man stood upon his feet. 

Hazael, king of Syria, died and his son Ben-hadad 
reigned in his stead, and Josiah took again the cities 
which Hazael had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his 
father by war, beating Ben-hadad three times and re- 
covering the cities of Israel. 

Amaziah the son of Joash reigned in Jerusalem over 
Judah twenty-nine years, doing right as his fathers had 
done, but not like David, for the high places were not 
taken away. 

In the valley of salt, Amaziah slew of Edom ten thou- 
sand men, took Selah by war and called it Joktheel. 

It is related, that Israel and Judah met in war at 
Beth-shemash and Judah was put to the v/orst before 
Israel; that the king of Israel came to Jerusalem and 
broke down a part of the wall ; and that he took Amaziah, 
and all the gold and silver and all the vessels found in 
the house of the Lord, all the treasure of the kings and 
of the hostages, and returned to Samaria. 

Amaziah, king of Judah, lived, after the death of his 
father Joash, fifteen years, when he was conspired against 
in Jerusalem and slain in Bochish. He built Eloth and 
restored it to Judah. He slept with his fathers, was 
buried in the city of David, and his son Azariah was 
made king in his stead. 

[226] 



It is related, that the Lord saved Israel by the hand 
of Jeroboam the son of Josiah; that Jeroboam the son of 
Josiah restored the coast of Israel according to the word 
of the Lord God of Israel as spoken by Jonah the son 
of Amittai the prophet which was at Goth-hepher ; that 
Jeroboam the son of Josiah reigned in Samaria forty-one 
years and did evil, departing not from all the sins of 
Jeroboam the son of Nebat; that he slept with his fathers 
and his son Zachariah reigned in his stead. 

Azariah reigned in Jerusalem over Judah fifty-two 
years, doing right according to all that his father Ama- 
ziah had done, but the high places were not removed. 

It is related, that the Lord smote Azariah, and he 
was a leper to the day of his death; that, during the 
time Azariah was a leper, his son Jonathan was over the 
house judging the people of the land ; that Azariah slept 
with his fathers, was buried in the city of David, and 
Jonathan reigned in his stead. 

Zachariah reigned over Israel in Samaria six months, 
doing evil, departing not from the sins of Jeroboam the 
son of Nebat, and Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired 
against Zachariah, slew him, and reigned in his stead. 

When Shallum had reigned in Samaria one month, 
Menahem, the son of Gadi, slew him and reigned in his 
stead. 

Menahem reigned in Samaria over Israel ten years 
and departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, the son 
of Nebat. 

Menahem slept with his fathers and his son Peka- 
hiah reigned in his stead for two years, departing not 
from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. 

One Pekah conspired against Pekahiah and in Sa- 

[227] 



maria smote him. Pekah reigned in the room of Peka- 
hiah for twenty years and departed not from the sins of 
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. 

In the days of Pekah, the king of Assyria came up, 
took all the land of Naphtali, and carried the people 
captives to Assyria. 

Hoshea, the son of Elah, conspired against Pekah, 
slew him, and reigned in his stead. 

Jotham (Jonathan), the son of Uzziah (Azariah) 
reigned in Jerusalem over Judah sixteen years and did 
according to all his fathers had done, but the high places 
were not removed. He built the higher gate of the house 
of the Lord. 

In these days, the Lord began to send against Judah 
Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah. 

Jotham (Jonathan) slept with his fathers, was buried 
in the city of David, and his son Ahaz reigned in his 
stead. 

It is related, that Ahaz reigned in Jerusalem over 
Judah sixteen years ; that he did right like David, but he 
walked in the ways of the kings of Israel ; that he made 
his son to pass thru fire according to the abominations of 
the heathen whom the Lord cast out from before the 
children of Israel; and that he sacrificed and burnt in- 
cense in the high places, on the hills, and under every 
green tree. 

Razin and Pekah came up to Jerusalem and besieged 
Ahaz, but they could not overcome him. Razin recov- 
ered Eloth, drove the Jews out, and the Syrians came and 
dwelt there. 

With the treasure of the house of the Lord, Ahaz 
hired the king of Assyria to help him against Razin king 

[228] 



of Syria and Pekah king of Israel. The king of Assyria 
took Damascus, slew Razin, and carried the people cap- 
tive to Kir. 

Ahaz slept with his fathers, was buried in the city 
of David, and his son Hezekiah reigned in his stead. 

Hoshea reigned in Samaria over Israel nine years 
and did evil, but not as the kings of Israel who were be- 
fore him. 

Against Hoshea came Shalmanser king of Assyria, 
and Hoshea became his servant. 

While Hoshea was under service to the king of As- 
syria, he sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt, and 
the king of Assyria, learning of this conspiracy, bound 
Hoshea in prison, came up to Samaria and beseiged it 
three years. 

In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took 
Samaria and carried Israel away into Assyria: for they 
had sinned against the Lord their God. They had walked 
in the statutes of the heathen, and did secretly those 
things which were not right. They built the high places 
in all the cities, and set them up images and groves in 
every hill and under every green tree where they burnt 
incense as did the heathen. They served idols and wrought 
wickedness to provoke the Lord to anger, wherefore, the 
Lord had testified against Israel and Judah by all the 
prophets and all the seers, to keep the commandments 
and the statutes, but they would not hear and hardened 
their necks like to the necks of their fathers, who did not 
believe in the Lord their God. 

It is stated, that the children of Israel had rejected 
the Lord's statutes, his covenants, and his testimony; 
that they had followed vanity, became vain, and went 

[ 229 ] 



after the heathen; that they had made them molton 
images, even two calves ; that they had made them groves, 
worshipped all the hosts of heaven, and served Baal ; that 
they used divinations and enchantments and sold them- 
selves to evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to 
anger : and the Lord removed them out of his sight, 
leaving none but the tribe of Judah. 

It is stated that, Judah kept not the commandments 
of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of 
Israel; that the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel, and 
afflicted and delivered them into the hand of spoilers 
until He had cast them out of his sight; that He rent 
Israel from the house of David and had them carried 
away out of their own land into Assyria. 

From Israel's Assyrian Captivity to the End 

The king of Assyria brought men, from Babylon and 
elsewhere, and placed them in the cities of Samaria. 
They made gods of their own and put them in the houses 
of the high places which the Samaritans had made, 
making unto themselves, from the lowest of them, priests 
for the high places who sacrificed for them in the houses 
of the high places. It is stated, that they feared the 
Lord and served their own gods, after the manner of the 
nation they carried away from thence. 

Hezekiah reigned in Jerusalem over Judah twenty- 
nine years and did right according to all that David did. 
He removed the high places, broke the images, cut down 
the groves, and broke to pieces the brasen serpent that 
Moses had made for, unto these days, the children of 
Israel burnt incense unto it and he called it Nehushtah. 

Hezekiah's trust in the Lord God of Israel was such 

[ 230 ] 



that neither before or after him among the kings of 
Judah was there any Hke him. He kept the command- 
ments which the Lord commanded Moses, and the Lord 
was with him and he prospered. 

Hezekiah rebelled against the king of Assyria and, 
in the fourteenth year of his reign, the king of Assyria, 
came up against the fenced cities of Judah and took them. 
Hezekiah prayed to the Lord for protection and was told 
by the Lord thru the prophet Isaiah, He would turn 
Hezekiah back in the way by which he came. That night, 
the angel of the Lord went out into the camp of the 
Assyrians and smote one hundred eighty-five thou- 
sand, and the king of Assyria departed and dwelt in 
Nineveh. 

It came to pass, as the king of Assyria was worship- 
ping in the house of Nosroch his god, two of his sons smote 
him with the sword and escaped into the land of Armenia, 
and Esar-hadden, his son, reigned in his stead. 

In these days, being sick unto death, Hezekiah was 
told by Isaiah, that he would die. Hezekiah prayed 
to the Lord and his life was prolonged for the space 
of fifteen years. 

The king of Babylon, hearing that Hezekiah was 
sick, sent letters and presents unto him by messengers. 
Hearkening unto the messengers of the king of Babylon, 
Hezekiah showed them all his house and kingdom. Thru 
Isaiah, the Lord told Hezekiah, that the day would come 
when all his house would be carried into Babylon. Heze- 
kiah slept with his fathers and Manasseh, his son,, 
reigned in his stead. 

Manasseh reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years and did 
evil after the abominations of the heathen, building up 

[231] 



again the high places, rearing up altars for Baal, and 
worshipping and serving all the hosts of heaven. 

It is related, that, in the two courts of the house 
of the Lord, Manasseh built altars for all the hosts of 
heaven, observed times, used enchantments, and dealt 
with familiar spirits and wizards ; that he made a graven 
image of the grove and set it in the house where the 
Lord had put his name forever; 

That Manasseh seduced the children of Israel to do 
more evil than the nations which the Lord destroyed 
before them, wherefore, the Lord forsook the remnant 
of his inheritance and delivered them into the hand of 
their enemies : for they had done that which was evil 
in His sight since the day their fathers came forth out 
of Egypt. 

Manasseh slept with his fathers, was buried in the 
garden of his house — the garden of Uzza — and Amon 
his son reigned in his stead. 

Amon reigned in Jerusalem two years and served 
the idols which his father served and worshipped them. 

Amon's servants conspired against him and slew him 
in his own house, and the people made Josiah his son king 
in his stead. 

Josiah reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years, walk- 
ing in all the ways of David. In the eighteenth year 
of his reign, it came to pass, that Hilkiah the high priest 
found the book of the Law, in the house of the Lord, 
and gave it to Shaphan the scribe who, after reading it, 
brot it and read it before the king. 

When the king heard the reading of the book of the 
Law, he sent his servants to inquire of the Lord con- 
cerning the words of the book that was found. 

[232] 



The servants of the king went and communed with 
the prophetess who dwelt in Jerusalem in the college 
and she sent word to the king, that the Lord would bring 
evil upon this place and the inhabitants, according to the 
words of the book, but that the king would be gathered 
to his fathers in peace. 

The king had the words of the book of the Covenant 
which was found in the house of the Lord read in the 
hearing of the people and made a covenant with the Lord 
—for all the people to keep his commandments, testi- 
monies, and statutes. 

The king had brot, from the temple of the Lord, all the 
vessels that were made for Baal, for the grove, and for 
all the hosts of heaven and, in the field of Kidron with- 
out Jerusalem, had them burned and the ashes carried 
unto Beth-el. 

He put down all the idolatrous priests whom the kings 
of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places 
in the places round about Jerusalem and in the cities 
of Judah unto Baal, the sun, the moon, the planets, and 
all the hosts of heaven. 

The king had brot, unto the brook Kidron without 
Jerusalem, the grove, from the house of the Lord, 
stamped it to powder, and cast the powder upon the 
graves of the children of Israel. 

It is related, that the houses of the Sodomites that 
were by the house of the Lord, where the women wove 
hangings for the grove, the king broke down; that the 
king broke down the high places of the gates that were 
in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of 
the city; that he broke down in pieces the images, cut 



[233 



down the groves, and filled their places with the bones of 
men; 

That the altar that was at Beth-el and the high places 
made by Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, he broke down and 
burned, burning men's bones upon the altar and polluting 
it according to the word of the Lord; and that he took 
away all the houses of the high places in the city of 
Samaria, slew all the priests of the high places, and re- 
turned to Jerusalem. 

The king commanded the people and they kept the 
passover unto the Lord their God, as it was written in 
the book of the Covenant, such as had not been holden 
from the days of the judges nor in all the days of the 
kings of Israel or Judah. 

The workers with familiar spirits, the wizards, the 
images, the idols, and all the abominations that were 
spied in the land of Judah and Jerusalem Josiah put 
away, that he might perform the words of the Law which 
were written in the book found in the house of the Lord. 

It is stated, that before Josiah there was no king like 
unto him that turned to the Lord with all his heart, 
with all his soul, and with all his might according to all 
the Law of Moses, neither after him arose any like him, 
but the Lord was not repented of his anger against Judah, 
for He said. He would remove Judah out of his sight as 
He had removed Israel and cast off the city of Jeru- 
salem which He had chosen and the house which He had 
said, "My name shall be there." 

In the days of Josiah, Pharaoh-nechoh, king of Egypt, 
went up against the king of Assyria. 

Josiah went up against the king of Assyria and was 

[234] 



slain, and the people made Jehoahaz his son king in his 
stead. 

When Jehoahaz had reigned in Jerusalem three 
months, Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bonds at Riblah in 
the land of Homoth, put the land to tribute, making 
Eliakim the son of Josiah king over Judah changing his 
name to Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz was, afterwards, taken 
to Egypt where he died. 

Jehoiakim reigned in Jerusalem eleven years and did 
evil. In the days of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar, king 
of Babylon, came up and Jehoiakim became his servant 
for three years and then rebelled. 

It is stated, that the Lord sent against Jehoiakim 
bands of Chaldees, of Syrians, of Moabites, and the 
children of Ammon; that they destroyed Judah according 
to the word of the Lord and removed them out of His 
sight; and that Jehoiakim slept with his fathers ana 
Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. 

The king of Babylon having taken all that pertained 
to the king of Egypt, from the river of Egypt unto the 
river Euphrates, the king of Egypt came no more out of 
his land. 

In the eighth year of Jehoiachin's reign, the serv- 
ants of Nebuchadnezzar came up against Jerusalem, took 
Jehoiachin, the treasure of the house of the Lord, the 
treasure of the king's house and all Jerusalem, and car- 
ried them all away to Babylon with ten thousand of the 
people as captives, leaving none save the poorest sort of 
the people of the land. 

The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, his father's 
brother king over Judah, changing his name to Zedekiah, 
and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 

[235] 



On the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth 
year of the reign of Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar came 
against Jerusalem and beseiged it unto the ninth day of 
the fourth month in the eleventh year when, a famine 
prevailing, the city was broken up and and all the men 
of war fled with the king by night. The Chaldees pur- 
sued and overtook the king in the plains of Jericho. 
They slew the king's son before his eyes, put out the 
eyes of the king, bound him with fetters of brass, and 
carried him to Babylon. 

On the seventh day of the fifth month in the eleventh 
year of Zedekiah, the captain of the kings guard came to 
Jerusalem and burnt the house of the Lord, the king's 
house, and all the houses of Jerusalem breaking down 
the walls and carrying away the remnant that was left, 
but leaving of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and 
husbandmen. He removed all the gold and silver and 
brass from the house of the Lord and carried it away 
to Babylon. 

Over them that were left in Judah, the king of Baby- 
lon, made Gedaliah the son of Ahikan the son of Shaphan 
ruler. 

In the seventh month, Ishmael, the son of Nethaniah, 
the son of Elishama of the seed royal came with ten 
men and slew Gedaliah, and the Jews and the Chaldees 
that were with him, at Mizpah, and the people, being 
afraid of the Chaldees, all came into Egypt 

In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jelioia- 
chin, king of Judah, in the twelfth month and twenty- 
seventh day, Evil-merodoch, king of Babylon, in the year 
that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin out of prison^ 
spoke kindly to him, and set Jehoiachin's throne above the 

[236] 



thrones of the kings that were with him in Babylon, and 
changing Jehoiachin's prison garments, he was permitted 
to eat bread before the king all the remaining days of 
his life. 

It is stated, that the Babylonian captivity continued 
for the space of seventy years, until the land had en- 
joyed her sabbaths (for as long as she lay desolate she 
kept sabbath), in fulfilment of the word of the Lord by 
Jeremiah. 

In the first year of the reign of king Cyrus over the 
kingdom of Persia, the Lord stirred up the spirit of 
Cyrus and he made a proclamation thruout his kingdom 
saying, "All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord 
God of heaven given me and charged me to build Him 
an house in Jerusalem which is in Judah," and he re- 
leased all the people to go up to Jerusalem and build the 
house of the Lord God of Israel, and decreed assistance, 
from his people, in silver, gold, goods, and beasts, besides 
the freewill offering for the house of God that was in 
Jerusalem. 

The chiefs of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin and 
all them whose spirit God had raised to go to build the 
house of the Lord went up to Jerusalem, taking the 
gifts of the people and all that was willingly offered. 

King Cyrus restored unto Judah the vessels of the 
house of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had brot from 
Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods, five thou- 
sand four hundred in number. 

The whole congregation that went up to Jerusalem 
were forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, besides 
their servants and maids, of whom there were seven thou- 

[237] 



sand three hundred thirty-seven. There were among 
them two hundred singing men and women. 

It is stated, that their mules were, two hundred forty- 
five ; their horses, seven hundred thirty-six ; their camels, 
four hundred thirty-five; their asses, six thousand seven 
hundred twenty; and that they all dwelt in their cities. 

When the seventh month came, they built the altar of 
the God of Israel and offered sacrifices thereon, as 
directed in the book of Moses. They kept the feasts and 
made offerings from the first day of the seventh month, 
but the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not 
yet laid. 

According to the grant of King Cyrus, they hired 
cedar trees brot from Lebanon and, in the second month 
of the second year of their coming, they began to set 
forward the work of the house of God. 

It is stated, that while the builders were laying 
the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they sang to- 
gether by courses in praise and thanksgiving unto the 
Lord. 

That the adversaries, professing they sought their 
God, desired to assist them in the building of the house 
and, being refused this privilege, they sot to weaken the 
hand of Judah by troubling them in building, and hired 
counselors to frustrate their purpose to build all the days 
of Cyrus and until the reign of Darius. 

In the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, the 
enemies of Judah wrote him accusations against the 
inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 

In the reign of Artaxerxes, these enemies repeat- 
edly wrote letters to him making accusations against Jeru- 
salem, charging, that, when the city was built, the king 

[ 238 ] 



would lose the toll tribute and custom of this people ; that, 
if a search would be made of the books of the records, 
they would disclose, that this was a rebellious city and 
hurtful unto kings and provinces; that they had moved 
sedition for which cause the city was destroyed ; and that 
if the city was built he would have no portion on this 
side of the river. 

The king, hearkening unto these enemies, had a 
search made of the records and found as they had said, 
and the king forcibly stopped the further work of the 
building. 

Under the reign of Darius king of Persia, Judah 
petitioned and discovered unto him the decree of Cyrus, 
and King Darius decreed, that the work go on speedily, 
rendering the necessary financial and moral assistance. 

On the third day of the ninth month in the sixth year 
of Darius, the building was finished and dedicated with 
joy and great offerings unto the Lord, and the house was 
set in order as it was written in the book of Moses. 

After these things, Ezra, a priest and a ready scribe 
in the Law of Moses, came from Babylon to Jerusalem 
with a letter, from King Artaxerxes and his seven coun- 
selors, vesting him with full authority to inquire concern- 
ing Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of his God. 

From the king of Babylon and his counselors, who 
freely offered unto the God of Israel whose habitation 
was in Jerusalem, Ezra brot much financial assistance, 
being given the liberty of the kings treasure to meet the 
needs of the house of God, and the servants of the 
house of God were relieved from all toll tribute and 
custom. 

Ezra was also vested with temporal powers, and he 

[239] 



set magistrates and judges to judge all the people be- 
yond the river, with full power of punishment even 
unto death. 

After these things, it was told to Ezra, that the people, 
the priests, and the Levites had not separated them- 
selves from the people of the lands, but were doing 
according to their abominations; that the Judahites had 
taken of the daughters of the people of the land for 
themselves and for their sons ; that the holy seed had min- 
gled themselves with the people of the land ; and that the 
princes and rulers had been chief in this trespass. 

Ezra was greatly distressed on hearing of these 
violations of the commandments of God, and he made 
fervent prayers for the people. He assembled all the 
men of Judah and Benjamin, on the twentieth day of the 
ninth month, and they sat in the street of the house 
of God, confessed their sins, and made a covenant with 
the Lord, to put away their strange wives and strange 
children. This was about the year four hundred fifty- 
six before Christ. 

After these things, we have no biblical account of this 
people to the time of Jesus, other than what is found 
in Malachi, where it is recorded that they were unkind, 
irreligious, and profane. 

In Malachi, we find sharp reproofs of the priests 
for neglecting their covenant and of the people, for 
idolatry, for adultery, and for infidelity. 

This brings the account of this people down to about 
three hundred ninety-seven years before Christ. 



[240 



PART VI 



THE PROPHETICALLY DECLARED 

SINS 

Thru the prophet Hosea, the Lord declared, as to 
Israel, ''There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of 
God, in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, 
and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, 
and blood toucheth blood. My people are destroyed 
for lack of knowledge. As they were increased, so they 
sinned against me, and they set their hearts on their 
iniquity. 

"Whoredom and wine take away the heart. The 
spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they 
have gone a whoring from under their God. 

"They sacrifice unto the tops of the mountains, and 
burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and 
elms, because the shadow thereof is good. 

"Israel slideth back, and Ephraim is joined to idols: 
let him alone. Their drink is sour : they have committed 
whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love. 

"The priests, the house of Israel, and the house of 
the kings, judgment is toward them, because they have 
been a snare on Mispah, and a net spread upon Taber, 
and the revolters are profound to make slaughter. 

"Ephraim commits whoredom, and Israel is defiled; 

[ 241 ] 



they will not frame their doings to turn unto their God : 
for the spirit of whoredom is in the midst of them, and 
they have not known the Lord. They like men have trans- 
gressed the covenant : there have they dealt treacherously 
against me. 

"Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is 
polluted with blood. And as troops of robbers wait for a 
man, so the company of priests murder in the way by 
consent: for they commit lewdness. 

"I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel : 
there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled. 
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of 
Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria : 
for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and 
the troop of robbers spoileth without. They consider not 
in their hearts, that I remember all the wickedness : now 
their own doings have beset them about; they are before 
my face. 

''They make the king glad with their wickedness, and 
the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers. 
They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their 
judges ; and their kings have fallen : there is none among 
them that calleth unto me. 

''Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; 
Ephraim is a cake not turned. Strangers have devoured 
his strength, and he knoweth it not. They do not return 
to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this. Ephraim 
is like a silly dove without heart : they call to Egypt, they 
go to Assyria. They assemble themselves for corn and 
wine, and they rebel against me. Tho I have bound and 
strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief 

[242] 



against me. They return, but not to the most high ; they 
are Hke a deceitful bow. 

"Israel hath cast off the thing that is good. They have 
set up kings, but not by me : they have made princes, and 
I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they 
made them idols. 

"Thy calf, O Samaria, Jiave cast thee off. From 
Israel was it also; the workman made it; therefore it is 
not God ; but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. 

"Israel is gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by 
himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers, and made many 
altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin." 

"They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifice of mine offer- 
ings, and eat it. Israel hath forgotten his maker, and 
buildeth temples ; and Judah hath multipHed fenced cities. 

"O Israel, thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, 
thou hath loved a reward upon every cornfloor. They 
have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of 
Gibeah. They went to Baal-peor, and separated them- 
selves unto that shame; and their abominations were 
according as they loved. 

"Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto 
himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath 
increased the altars ; according to the goodness of his land, 
they have made goodly images. They have spoken words, 
swearing falsely in making a covenant. O Israel, thou 
hast sinned from the days of Gilead. 

"When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called 
my son out of Egypt. As they called them : they sacrificed 
unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. 

"My people are bent on backsliding from me. Eph- 
raim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind : 

[ 243 ] 



he daily increaseth lies and desolation ; and they do make a 
covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. 
Surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; 
yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field. 
Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served 
for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep. 

''When Ephraim offended in Baal, he died. Now 
they sin more and more, and have made them molten 
images of their silver, and idols according to their own 
understanding, all of it the work of the craftsman: they 
say of them, let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. Ac- 
cording to their pasture, so were they filled; they were 
filled, and their hearts were exalted ; therefore have they 
forgotten Me." 

Thru the prophet Isaiah, the Lord spoke and said, 
"He had nourished and brot up children, and they had re- 
belled against him; that the ox knew his owner, and the 
ass his master's crib : but Israel did not know or consider ; 
that they were a sinful nation, a people laden with 
iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters : 
they had forsaken the Lord, provoked the Holy One of 
Israel unto anger, and gone away back\vard; 

"That their whole head was sick and the whole heart 
faint; that, from the head to the foot, there was no 
soundness; but wounds, bruises, and putrifying sores 
which had not been closed, bound up, nor mollified with 
ointment; that their country was desolate, their cities 
burned up with fire, and strangers devoured their land 
in their presence; and that the daughter of Zion is left 
as a cottage in a vineyard, as a beseiged city. 

"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices 
unto me?" saith the Lord: " I am full of the burnt offer- 

[244] 



ings of rams and the fat of fed beasts ; and I delight not 
in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of the goats. 
Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination 
unto me : the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of 
assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the 
solemn meetings. 

"Your new moons and your appointed feasts my 
soul hateth : they are a trouble unto me ; I am weary to 
bear them. How has the faithful city become an har- 
lot? It was full of judgment: righteousness lodged in 
it; but now murderers. Thy silver is become dross, thy 
wine mixed with water: the princes are rebellious, and 
companions of thieves : every one loveth gifts, and fol- 
loweth after rewards : they judge not the fatherless, 
neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. 

"Thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, 
because they be replenished from the east, and are sooth- 
sayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in 
the children of strangers. 

"Their land is full of silver and gold, and there is no 
end of their treasures: their land is also full of horses, 
neither is there any end of their chariots: their land is 
also full of idols; they worship the work of their own 
hands. The mean man boweth down, and the great man 
humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. 

"Ye have eaten up the vineyard, and the spoil of the 
poor is in your houses. What mean ye that ye beat my 
people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor. The 
Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and 
rush in one day. The ancient and honorable, he is the 
head ; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail." 

He says they have erred thru wine, and thru strong 

[245] 



drink are out of the way; that the priests and the 
prophets have erred thru strong drink; that they are 
swallowed up of wine, and are out of the way thru 
strong drink; that they err in vision, and stumble in 
judgment; that all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, 
so that there is no place clean. "Thou hast wearied Me 
with thine iniquities." 

Thru Isaiah, it is said, "Draw near hither, ye sons of 
the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. 
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom 
make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue? art ye 
not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, en- 
flaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slay- 
ing the children in the valleys under the clifts of the 
rocks ? 

"Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy 
bed : even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice : thou 
hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone 
up; thou has enlarged thy bed, and made thee a cove- 
nant with them: thou lovedst their bed where thou 
sawest it. 

"Thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst 
increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far 
off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. 

"Your iniquities have separated between you and your 
God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that he 
will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and 
your fingers with iniquity ; your lips have spoken lies, your 
tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for jus- 
tice nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, 
and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth 
iniquity. They hatch cockatrice eggs, and weave the 

[246] 



spiders web : he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that 
which is crushed breaketh out into a viper. Their webs 
shall not become garments, neither shall they cover 
themselves with their works: their works are works 
of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. 
Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed inno- 
cent blood: their thots are thots of iniquity; wasting and 
destruction are in the paths. The way of peace they know 
not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have 
made them crooked paths : whosoever goeth therein shall 
not know peace. 

"I have spread out my hands all the day unto a 
rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not 
good, after their own thots. A people that provoketh me 
to anger continually to my face ; that sacrificeth in gardens 
and burneth incense upon altars of brick; which remain 
among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which 
eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in 
their vessels ; which say. Stand by thyself, come not near 
me ; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my 
nose, a fire that burneth all the day. Behold, it is written 
before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, 
even recompense into their bosom. Your iniquities, and 
the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the Lord, 
which have burned incense upon the mountains, and 
blasphemed me upon the hills : therefore will I measure 
their former work into their bosom. 

"Ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my 
holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and 
furnish the drink offering unto that number. When I 
called, ye did not answer; when I spake, you did not 

[247] 



hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that 
wherein I deHghted not. 

"He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man ; he that 
sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that 
off ereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood ; he that 
burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have 
chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their 
abominations. When I called none did answer; when I 
spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine 
eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not." 

Thru Micah, it is said, concerning Samaria and Jeru- 
salem, that the Lord cometh forth and will come down 
and tread upon the high places of the earth; that the 
mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys 
cleft, as wax before the fire, and as waters that are 
poured down a steep place; that all this is for the trans- 
gressions of Jacob, and the sins of the house of Israel; 
that the transgression of Jacob is Samaria, and the high 
places of Judah are Jerusalem; that her wound is incur- 
able; for it came unto Judah, he has come unto the gate 
of my people, even to Jerusalem; that the inhabitants of 
Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down 
from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem. 

He speaks of the prophets that make the people err ; 
that bite with their teeth, and cry peace ; and that putteth 
not into their mouths, but even prepare war against them. 

He says they shall not have a vision; that it shall be 
dark unto them ; that they shall not divine ; and that the 
sim shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be 
dark over them ; that then the seers shall be ashamed, and 
the diviners confounded; that they built up Zion with 
blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity ; that the heads thereof 

[248] 



judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, 
and the prophets thereof divine for money. 

"Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the 
house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is 
abominable. Shall I count them pure with the wicked 
balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? For the 
rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants 
thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in 
their mouth. The statutes of Omri are kept, and all the 
works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their coun- 
sels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the in- 
habitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the 
reproach of my people. 

*'Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppress- 
ing city. She obeyed not the voice ; she received not cor- 
rection; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near 
to her God. Her princes within her are roaring lions; 
her judges are evening wolves ; they gnaw not the bones 
till the morrow. Her prophets are light and treacherous 
persons : her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they 
have done violence to the Law." 

Thru Jeremiah, it is said to Jerusalem, the house of 
Jacob, and the families of the house of Israel, "What 
iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are 
gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and 
become vain? 

"Neither said they, where is the Lord that brot us up 
out of the land of Egypt, that led us thru the wilderness, 
thru a land of deserts and of pits, thru a land of drought, 
and of the shadow of death, thru a land that no man 
passed thru, and where no man dwelt? 

"I brot you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit 

[249] 



thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, 
ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomina- 
tion. The priests said not, where is the Lord? and they 
that handle the Law knew me not : the pastors also trans- 
gressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, 
and walked after things that do not profit. 

"Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this : for my people 
have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the 
fountain of Living waters, and hewed them out cis- 
terns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Is Israel 
a slave? Is he a homeborn slave? Why is he spoiled? 
The young lion roared upon him, and yelled, and they 
made his land waste : his cities are burned without in- 
habitants. Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes 
have broken the crown of thy head. Hast thou not pro- 
cured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the 
Lord thy God, when He led thee by the way? 

"And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, 
to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do 
in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river. 
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy back- 
slidings shall reprove thee : know therefore and see that 
it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the 
Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the 
Lord God of hosts. For of old time I have broken thy 
yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not 
transgress; when upon every high hill and under every 
green tree thou wonderest, playing the harlot. Yet I had 
planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed : how then 
art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange 
vine unto me? For tho thou wash thee with nitre, and 

[ 250 ] 



take thee much sope, yet thine iniquity is marked before 
me. 

"Thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; 
a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the 
wind at her pleasure. As a thief is ashamed when he is 
found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their 
kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, 
saying to a stock. Thou art my father; and to a stone. 
Thou hast brot me forth: for they have turned their 
back unto me, and not their face : but in the time of their 
trouble they will say. Arise, and save us. According 
to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah. Ye 
all have transgressed against me. In vain have I smitten 
your children: your own sword hath devoured your 
prophets, like a destroying lion. 

"Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of 
darkness? wherefore say my people. We are lords; we 
will come no more unto thee ? My people have forgotten 
me days without number. In thy skirts is found the 
blood of the souls of the poor innocents : I have not found 
it by secret search, but upon all these. Why gaddest 
thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt 
be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. 

"They say. If a man put away his wife, and she go 
from him, and become another man's, shall he return 
unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? 
but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet 
return again to me. 

"In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian 
in the wilderness ; and thou hast polluted the land with 
thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness. Thou hadst 
a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. Back- 

[251] 



sliding Israel hath gone upon every high mountain and 
under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. 
And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 

"And I saw, when for all the causes whereby back- 
sliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, 
and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous 
sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot 
also. And it came to pass thru the lightness of her 
whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adult- 
ery with stones and with stocks. And yet for all this 
her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me 
with her whole heart, but feignedly. The backsliding 
Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous 
Judah. 

"Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her 
husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house 
of Israel, saith the Lord. We lie down in our shame, 
and our confusion covereth us : for we have sinned 
against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our 
youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the 
voices of the Lord our God." 

It is declared, that they of Jerusalem refused to re- 
ceive correction; that they made their faces harder than 
a rock and refused to return ; that they knew not the way 
of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God, and have 
altogether broken the yoke, and broke the bonds; that 
they had forsaken the Lord, and sworn by them that are 
no gods; that they were as fed horses in the morning; 
every one neighed after his neighbor's wife; that the 
house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very 
treacherously against the Lord; 

That this people have a revolting and a rebellious 

[252] 



heart ; they are revolted and gone ; that among the Lord's 
people are found wicked men, who lie in wait, set snares 
and traps, and catch men ; that as a cage is full of birds, 
so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are 
become great, and waxed rich. 

"They are waxed fat, they shine : yea, they overpass 
the deeds of the wicked : they judge not the cause, the 
cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right 
of the needy do they not judge. A wonderful and hor- 
rible thing is committed in the land; the prophets proph- 
esy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means ; and 
My people love to have it so : and what will ye do in the 
end thereof?' 

''Ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye 
steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn in- 
cense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye 
know not; and come and stand before me in this house, 
which is called by my name, and say, we are delivered 
to do all these abominations? 

"Is this house, which is called by my name, become 
a den of robbers in your eyes? Go ye now unto my 
place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the 
first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my 
people Israel. 

"The children gather the wood, the fathers kindle 
the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes 
to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings 
unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. 

"Put your burnt offerings unto your, sacrifices, and 
eat flesh; for I spake not unto your fathers, nor com- 
manded them in the day that I brot them out of the land 
of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices : but 

[253] 



this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, 
and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people : and 
walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that 
it may be well unto you. 

"But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but 
walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their 
evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. I have 
sent unto you all my servants the prophets : yet they 
hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hard- 
ened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. 

"This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the 
Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is per- 
ished, and is cut off from their mouth. Cut off thine 
hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamen- 
tation on high places; for the Lord hath rejected and 
forsaken the generation of His wrath. For the children 
of Judah have done evil in My sight, saith the Lord: 
they have set their abominations in the house which is 
called by my name, to pollute it. And they have built 
the high places of Trophet, which is in the valley of the 
son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in 
the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it 
in my heart. 

"Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back 
by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they 
refuse to return. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth 
her appointed times ; and the turtle and the crane and the 
swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people 
know not the Judgment of the Lord. 

"I will givC" their wives unto others, and their fields 
to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the 
least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, 

[254] 



from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth 
falsely. 

"Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of 
wayfaring men ; that I might leave my people, and go 
from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of 
treacherous men. They bend their tongues like their 
bow for lies : but they are not valiant for the truth upon 
the earth : for they proceed from evil to evil, and they 
know not me, saith the Lord. 

''Take ye hood every one of his neighbor, and trust 
ye not in any brother : for every brother will utterly sup- 
plant, and every neighbor will walk with slanders. And 
they will deceive every one his neighbor, and will not 
speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak 
lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine 
habitation is in the midst of deceit; thru deceit they re- 
fuse to know me, saith the Lord. Their tongue is as an 
arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peace- 
ably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he lay- 
eth his wait. 

"They obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked 
every one in the imagination of their evil heart. A con- 
spiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the 
inhabitants of Jerusalem. They are turned back to the 
iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my 
words; and they went after other gods to serve them: 
the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken 
my Covenant which I made with their fathers. 

"According to the number of thy cities were thy gods, 
O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of 
Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, 
even altars to burn incense unto Baal. 

[ 255 ] 



"What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing 
she hath wrot lewdness with many, and the holy flesh 
is passed from thee? When thou doest evil, then thou 
rejoicest. 

"Even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even 
they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have 
called a multitude after thee: believe them not tho they 
speak fair words unto thee. 

"Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have 
trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleas- 
ant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it 
desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me ; the 
whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it 
to heart. I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neigh- 
ings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abomina- 
tions on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jeru- 
salem ! wilt thou not be made clean ? When shall it once 
be? 

"The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and 
with the point of a diamond : it is graven upon the table 
of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars ; whilst 
their children remember their altars and their groves by 
the green trees upon the high hills. 

"And they said. There is no hope: but we will walk 
after our own devices, and we will every one do the im- 
agination of his evil heart. The virgin of Israel hath 
done a very horrible thing. My people have forgotten 
me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have 
caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient 
paths, to walk in paths in a way not cast up ; to make 
their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one 

[256] 



that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his 
head. 

"They have forsaken me, and have estranged this 
place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, 
whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor 
the king of Judah, and have filled this place with the 
blood of innocents; they have built also the high places 
of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings 
unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither 
came it into my mind. 

"Ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your 
hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of 
Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut 
yourself off, and that ye might be a curse and a re- 
proach among all the nations of the earth. 

"Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, 
and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wick- 
edness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the 
wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in 
the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? 

Then all the men which knew that their wives had 
burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that 
stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt 
in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, say- 
ing, "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in 
the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. 
But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth 
out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen 
of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as 
we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our 
princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of 
Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were 

[ 257 ] 



well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn 
incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink 
offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have 
been consumed by the sword and by the famine." 

Jeremiah replied, saying, "Ye and your wives have 
both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your 
hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we 
have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, 
and to pour out drink offerings unto her. 

"O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the 
desert. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made 
up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle 
in the day of the Lord. They have seen vanity and lying 
divinations, saying. The. Lord saith: and the Lord hath 
not sent them : and they have made others to hope that 
they would confirm the word. With lies ye have. made 
the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made 
sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he 
should not return from his wicked way, by promising 
him life. 

''These men have set up their idols in their hearts, 
and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their 
face : should I be enquired of at all by them ? 

"But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and play- 
edst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out 
thy fornications on every one that passed by ; his it was. 
And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy 
high places with divers colors, and playedst the harlot 
thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall 
it be so. 

"Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and 
of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thy- 

[258] 



self images of men, and didst commit whoredom with 
them, and tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst 
them. 

"Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daugh- 
ters, whom thou hast born unto me, and these hast thou 
sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy 
whoredoms a small matter, that thou hast slain my chil- 
dren, and delivered them to cause them to pass thru 
the fire for them? And in all thine abominations and 
thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of 
thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast 
polluted in thy blood. 

"Thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and 
hast made thee an high place in every street. Thou hast 
built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast 
made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy 
feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy 
whoredoms. Thou hast also committed fornication with 
the Egyptians thy neighbors, great of flesh; and hast in- 
creased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger. 

"Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, 
because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the 
harlot with them, and yet couldst not be satisfied. 

"Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in 
the land of Canaan unto Chaldea ; and yet thou wast not 
satisfied herewith. How weak is thine heart, saith the 
Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things, the work 
of an imperious whorish woman; in that thou buildest 
thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest 
thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an 
harlot, in that thou scornest hire; but as a wife that 
committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of 

[259] 



her husband ! They give gifts to all whores : but thou 
givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that 
they may come unto thee on every side for thy whore- 
dom. And the contrary is in thee from other women in 
thy VN^horedoms, whereas none followeth thee to com- 
mit whoredoms : and in that thou givest a reward, and 
no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art con- 
trary. Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord. 

"Your mother was an Hittite, and your father an 
Amorite. And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her 
daughters that dwell at thy left hand : and thy younger 
sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her 
daughters. Thou wast corrupted more than they in all 
thy ways. Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her 
daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. 

"Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; 
but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than 
they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abomina- 
tions which thou hast done. Thou also, which hast 
judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins 
that thou hast committed more abominable than they: 
they are more righteous than thou : yea, be thou con- 
founded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast 
justified thy sisters. 

"The city sheddeth blood in the midst of it, that her 
time may come, and maketh idols against herself to de- 
file herself. Thou are become guilty in thy blood that 
thou hast shed ; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which 
thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw 
near, and art come even unto thy years : therefore have I 
made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to 
all countries. Every one were in thee to their power to shed 

[260] 



blood. In thee have they set Hght by father and mother : 
in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with 
the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and 
the widow. Thou hast despised mine holy things, and 
hast profaned my sabbaths. In thee are men that carry 
tales to shed blood : and in thee they eat upon the moun- 
tains : in the midst of thee they commit lewdness. In 
thee have they discovered their father's nakedness: in 
thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pol- 
lution. 

"And one hath committed abomination with his neigh- 
bor's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter- 
in-law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his 
father's daughter. In thee have they taken gifts to shed 
blood ; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast 
greedily gained of thy neighbors by extortion, and hast 
forgotten me, saith the Lord God. 

"The house of Israel is to me become dross : all they 
are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the 
furnace; they are even the dross of silver. 

"There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst 
thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have 
devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and prec- 
ious things; they have made her many widows in the 
midst thereof. 

"Her priests have violated my law, and have pro- 
faned mine holy things : they have put no difference be- 
tween the holy and profane, neither have they showed 
difference between the unclean and the clean, and have 
hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned 
among them. 

"Her princes in the midst thereof are like ravening 

[ 261 ] 



the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dis- 
honest gain. And her prophets have daubed them with 
untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto 
them, saying. Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord 
hath not spoken. 

"The people of the land have used oppression, and 
exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: 
yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. And 
I sought for a man among them, that should make up 
the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, 
that I should not destroy it : but I found none." 

Ezekiel says, "The word of the Lord came again unto 
me, saying. Son of man, there were two women, the 
daughters of one mother: and they committed whore- 
doms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, 
and there they bruised the teats of their virginity. And 
the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah 
her sister: and they were mine, and they bear sons and 
daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, 
and Jerusalem Aholibah. And Aholah played the harlot 
when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the 
Assyrians her neighbors, which were clothed with blue, 
captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, 
horsemen riding upon horses. 

"Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with 
all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with 
all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled 
herself. Neither left she her whoredoms brot from Egypt : 
for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised tue 
breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon 
her. Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of 

[ 262 ] 



her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom 
she doted. 

"These discovered her nakedness : they took her sons 
and her daughters, and slew her with the sword : and 
she became famous among women ; for they had executed 
judgment upon her. 

"And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was 
more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her 
whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms. She 
doted upon the Assyrians her neighbors, captains and 
rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon 
horses, all of them desirable young men. Then I saw 
that she was defiled, that they took both one way, and 
that she increased her whoredoms : for when she saw 
men portrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans 
portrayed with vermilion, girded with girdles upon their 
loins, exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads, all of 
them princes to look to, after the manner of the Baby- 
lonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity: and as 
soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon 
them, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea. 

"And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of 
love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she 
was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated 
from them. 

"So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered 
her nakedness ; then my mind was alienated from her 
sister. Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to 
remembrance the days of her youth, wherein she had 
played the harlot in the land of Egypt. For she doted 
upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, 
and whose issue is like the issue of horses. Thus thou 

[ 263 ] 



calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in 
bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy 
youth." 

The Lord said moreover, "Aholah and Aholibah have 
committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with 
their idols have they committed adultery, and have also 
caused their sons, whom they bear unto me, to pass for 
them thru the fire, to devour them. Moreover this they 
have done unto me : they have delivered my sanctuary in 
the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths. For when 
they had slain their children to their idols, then they 
came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, 
lo, thus have they done in the midst of mine house. 

''And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come 
from far, unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, 
they came: for whom thou didst wash thyself, paintedst 
thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with ornaments, and satest 
upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it, where- 
upon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil. 

"And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with 
her : and with the men of the common sort were brought 
Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon 
their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads. Then 
said I unto her that was old in adulteries, will they now 
commit whoredoms with her, and she with them. Yet 
they went in unto her, as they go into a woman that 
playeth the harlot : so went they in unto Aholah and unto 
Aholibah, the lewd women." 

Thru Malachi, the Lord declared against the priests, 
saying, "But ye are departed out of the way; ye have 
caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted 
the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. There- 

[264] 



fore have I made you contemptible and base before all 
the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but 
have been partial in the law. 

"Have we not all one father? hath not one God 
created us? why do we deal treacherously every man 
against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our 
fathers ? 

"Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomina- 
tion is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah 
hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, 
and hath married the daughter of a strange god. Yet 
ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been wit- 
ness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against 
whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy com- 
panion, and the wife of thy covenant. 

"And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue 
of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek 
a goodly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and 
let none deal treacherously against the wife of thy youth. 

"Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone 
away from mine ordinance, and have not kept them. Re- 
turn unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord 
of hosts. But ye said. Wherein shall we return? 

"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. 
But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes 
and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have 
robbed me, even this whole nation." 



[265] 



BOOK II 



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The biblical accounts of the birth, nativity, life, 
ministry, teaching, and death of Jesus, with the Resurrec- 
tion, appearances, and ascension; 

The disciples and apostles of Jesus, with their teach- 
ings and ministries; 

The manner and the organization of the Christian 
Church, with its workings and developments ; 

And the Revelations as recorded in the New Testa- 
ment Scriptures. 

It will be readily seen and appreciated that in sub- 
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